COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik have announced that approximately 120 million dollars in new grant funding will soon be available to help communities clean up contaminated, abandoned, or underused properties across the state.

The funding is part of the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program, created in 2021 to support the cleanup of industrial, commercial, and institutional sites affected by hazardous substances or petroleum. The program aims to help local leaders turn long‑neglected properties into usable land for future development.

Governor DeWine said the program continues to give communities a powerful tool to transform blighted sites into productive assets. Since its launch, the Brownfield Remediation Program has awarded nearly 800 million dollars to support 904 projects in 87 counties.

The new round of funding was made possible through the most recent biennium budget bill, House Bill 96, which allocated 200 million dollars toward the program. Eligible projects include site assessments and remediation work. Entities responsible for contaminating a property are not eligible to apply.

Director Mihalik said the program has repeatedly shown how strategic cleanup investments can restore pride in communities and create long‑term opportunities for growth.

The Brownfield Remediation Program is part of the Ohio BUILDS Initiative, which focuses on improving quality of life through water infrastructure upgrades, broadband expansion, brownfield redevelopment, and demolition of blighted buildings.

Applications open at 10 a.m. on August 11 and close at 5 p.m. on September 11. The Department of Development will host an informational webinar on August 4 to guide prospective applicants through eligibility requirements, the application process, and program updates.

More information, including guidelines and application links, is available on the program’s webpage.