A Letter from the Executive Director
Dear Friends,
OAQDA works to help Ohio businesses comply with clean air regulations by assisting in the financing of projects through the Clean Air Resource Center (CARC) and the Project Development and Finance program. You are probably familiar with our assistance to small businesses like dry cleaners, auto body shops and others. You also may be aware of some of our larger projects with government entities like county courthouses, utilities and state prisons.
This issue of
AirFocus features projects the Authority has approved during the past few months, including a steel fabricator, a metal casting company, two auto body shops and a dry cleaner, all of which received financing through CARC. You can also read about major project financing approved for Chillicothe Correctional Institute.
Thanks to partnerships with other government agencies engaged in protecting and cleaning the air we breathe, we also work to support more diverse clean air projects such as the Ohio Diesel Emission Reduction Grant (DERG) program offered by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA). Public entities can access funds directly, however private companies can also apply for funding through DERG to reduce diesel emissions if they have a public sponsor. This creates the opportunity for private companies to access public funding to help with their clean air compliance and goals.
OAQDA will partner on a study to provide quantitative information on potential emissions and the air quality impact from reduced coal power generation and evolving shale activity in Ohio. This shale gas study will attempt to determine how the replacement of coal with natural gas for electric and steam generation offsets the net impact of shale development on air quality and what will be the benefits of EPA regulations in oil and gas on air quality.
We are committed to supporting diverse projects that support Ohio's air quality and help organizations and businesses function as clean air facilities in compliance with air quality guidelines.
Sincerely,
Chadwick I. Smith
Executive Director