BATAVIA, OHIO (Nov. 19, 2024) – The Ohio Department of Development has awarded the Clermont County Land Bank nearly $2.5 million in grant funding to clean up an illegal dump site on seven adjacent acres along State Route 28 in Goshen Township.
Piles of waste totaling 6,000 tons include construction materials, tires and other debris that tower more than 20 feet high in spots. The Land Bank expects to commence its cleanup of the site in early 2025 and subsequently prepare it for redevelopment.
The grant, funded through the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program, includes a local match by the Land Bank and Goshen Township.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency cleaned up a related, illegal dump site on nearby Parker Road this past June. That cleanup included the removal of 1,700 tons of material. The property was later sold at a foreclosure auction.
“These dump sites have a long history of environmental violations and legal battles,” said Jeannie M. Zurmehly, Board Chair of the Clermont County Land Bank and Clermont County Treasurer. “Once the asbestos contamination and other environmental damage is fully remediated on the State Route 28 property, we will be able to move forward and transform this area of Goshen Township to a more productive use.”
State, county and township efforts to clean up the illegal dump sites date back 16 years. The Clermont County Health Department first issued orders on the State Route 28 property in 2008.
The Parker Road property and two of the three parcels on State Route 28 were previously owned by Donald W. Combs. The other parcel is in foreclosure.
Read more about the history of the illegal dump sites.
News of Clermont County’s grant award was part of an announcement by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine outlining the state’s most recent round of funding for demolition and brownfield remediation projects. In this round, the state awarded more than $55 million. Funding comes from the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program and Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program.
Clermont County’s brownfield grant is the second major award for the Land Bank in the past month. The state awarded the Land Bank $4.4 million in October to fund the demolition of 46 abandoned and blighted buildings. It was the Land Bank’s single largest cash infusion since it began operation in 2022.
“This is another significant award for us,” said Desmond Maaytah, Executive Director of the Land Bank. “We’re excited to put this combined funding to work. It’s going to fuel a tremendous number of positive improvements countywide in 2025.”
About the Clermont County Land Bank
The Board of County Commissioners established the Land Bank to remediate distressed properties, enhance safety and improve the quality of life for local communities. The Land Bank has demolished nearly 30 blighted residential, commercial and industrial properties since it began operation in July 2022, transforming vacant, abandoned and tax-delinquent properties into productive community assets.
The Land Bank’s Board of Directors includes Clermont County Treasurer Jeannie Zurmehly (chair), Commissioner David Painter (vice chair), Commissioner Bonnie Batchler, and Jeff Baumgarth, Vice President, The Myers Y. Cooper Co.
