Governor

State Controlling Board approved $1,201,595 in Clean Ohio Assistance Fund grants for five Ohio communities. The Clean Ohio Assistance Fund supports brownfield redevelopment in Ohio’s urban areas, and is administered by the Office of Redevelopment, which is housed within the Ohio Department of Development’s Community Services Division.

“Clean Ohio investments help determine if vacant or underutilized properties will have productive futures,” said Thea Walsh, Deputy Chief for the Office of Redevelopment. “The assessment and remediation are the initial steps towards economic redevelopment opportunities.”

The Clean Ohio Assistance Fund is part of the Clean Ohio Fund, which restores, protects, and connects Ohio’s important natural and urban areas by preserving green space and farmland, improving outdoor recreation, and cleaning up brownfields to encourage redevelopment and revitalize communities.  City of Barberton (Summit County) will receive a $289,312 grant; City of Cleveland (Cuyahoga County) will receive a $298,480 grant; City of Columbus (Franklin County) will receive a $300,000 grant; City of Sidney (Shelby County) will receive a $201,096 grant; Harrison Township (Montgomery County) will receive a $112,707 grant.

Ohio Department of Development – Ohio Job Ready Site (JRS) Program.  The Department is currently reviewing  submitted applications for the 4^th and final funding round.  During the month of December 2011 and January 2012, the Department will review and score projects.  Applicants will be asked to provide a short, 20 minute presentation to the review team in February 2012. Award announcements are anticipated during March/April 2012.

– Ohio’s mineral industries produced more than $2.7 billion for the state’s economy in 2010, according to a report issued by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Geological Survey. The number represents a 4-percent increase from 2009 and is primarily attributed to the increase in the unit value of oil.

The Ohio Department of Development, in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Taxation, launched of InvestOhio, the $100 million tax credit program designed to help eligible small businesses get the funds from investors they need to grow, succeed, and create jobs. The effort is expected to generate $1 billion in new investments in Ohio small businesses. “Valuable capital has been sitting on the sidelines far too long and InvestOhio helps get these dollars into the game to help Ohio’s small businesses take advantage of the emerging economic recovery,” said Christiane Schmenk, Director of the Ohio Department of Development. “Governor Kasich and his team are pursuing innovative jobs-creation strategies like InvestOhio to recreate a jobs-friendly climate that will help get Ohio moving again in the right direction.”  InvestOhio encourages investments of up to $10 million in eligible small businesses in exchange for a 10 percent income tax credit for investments held for two years. Eligible small businesses must have less than $50 million in assets or less than $10 million in annual sales.

Governor Kasich’s 21^st Century Energy & Economic Summit started Septemeber 21st and runs through today.  The Summit is being held on the campus of The Ohio State University.  The Summit has brought over a thousand attendees to listen to the various interested parties to discuss Ohio’s Energy options including recent interest in Utica and Marcellus Shale in Ohio.  The Summit covers a broad range of topics and brought together utilities, environmentalists and the oil and gas industry. (Agenda)    According to one Battelle, one of the hosts for the Summit, they hope the “Summit will lay the foundation for a comprehensive Energy and Economic Development Policy that will allow Ohio’s substantial assets to propel the State’s long-term economic growth and job creation.”  The program establishes the key to the Summit “is the beginning of a comprehensive, jobs-friendly energy policy for Ohio. The open exchange of ideas on the future of energy will provide Ohio leaders a sound basis for developing policies  that spur economic growth through low-cost, reliable energy, 21st Century energy technologies, appropriate regulatory oversight, and environmental stewardship.”