Land-preserving Clean Ohio Fund now is the one seeking a savior
Monday, November 27, 2006
Spencer Hunt - DISPATCH

A popular conservation program that has funded nearly 700 preservation and cleanup projects is running out of time and money.

Advocates said the Clean Ohio Fund, which voters approved in 2000, has helped preserve 25,600 acres for wildlife and protect 20,000 acres of farmland from development.

It's also helped to build 216 miles of recreation trails and advance cleanups at 126 abandoned, polluted factory sites called brownfields.

Environmental groups and Gov. Bob Taft said they will push state lawmakers to save Clean Ohio before the governor leaves office in January. The $400 million program is almost tapped out.

A $25 million fund to help expand recreation paths already has run out of money, said Kate Bartter, Taft's chief policy adviser.

A $200 million fund earmarked for brownfields could be completely spent by October 2007, according to the Ohio Department of Development.

"This is the only dedicated source of money for habitat preservation, recreation trails, farmland preservation and brownfields that the state has," said Mike Shelton, a lobbyist with the Ohio Nature Conservancy.

Taft pitched Clean Ohio as a way to revive abandoned factories and build recreation areas, parks and wildlife habitats. It passed with 57 percent of the vote in November 2000.

A total of $36.4 million from the fund has been spent in central Ohio, with most of the money going to projects in Franklin County.

Columbus received a $3 million grant in 2003 to wipe away hazardous waste left by the abandoned AC Humko margarine factory in Harrison West.

A developer began work last year on a project to build nearly 300 houses, condos and lofts at the 16-acre site Downtown.

Bartter said lawmakers could keep Clean Ohio money flowing by removing a $400 million spending cap the legislature set when it approved the program in 2001.

Clean Ohio is funded by a constitutional amendment that let the state sell $400 million in bonds. The change Taft proposes would let Clean Ohio sell new bonds as the old ones are paid off, as long as the total debt doesn't exceed $400 million.

But the old bonds aren't being paid off as fast as the state is spending the funds. If lawmakers pass Taft's plan, Clean Ohio's spending would drop from $50 million a year to about $35 million.

Bartter said Clean Ohio still could be effective even if it spends less.

Bartter said Taft will try to renew Clean Ohio in the legislature's biennial capital budget, which lawmakers are expected to pass before they adjourn in January.

Key lawmakers in the House and Senate expressed support for the idea but did not guarantee it would pass.

"It's a good program. It's done good things," said Sen. John A. Carey Jr., a Wellston Republican and chairman of the Senate's Finance Committee.

House Finance Committee Chairman Charles Calvert said he wants to see what Taft proposes before he supports renewing the fund.

"If it extends what we have now, I'd be in favor of it," said Calvert, a Medina Republican.

Shelton said he'd like to see Clean Ohio fully funded again, but noted that voters likely would have to approve that change.

Any decision to do that would be made next year after Ted Strickland takes over as governor.

Strickland spokesman Keith Dailey said the governor-elect isn't ready to make a decision on Clean Ohio.

Big Darby Greenway Trail:
This trail runs on the west side of Big Darby Creek, a State and National Scenic River. The trail extends across the Creek and connects with Darby Bend Lake.

Trail Heads: Prairie Oaks Metro Park
Length: 3 miles
Type: Crushed bankrun gravel surface.

Locate these parks on the Interactive Online Greater Columbus Green Map