Saturday, July 14, 2007

 

EPA sets landfill-fund criteria

The Canton Repository

COLUMBUS - The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has set criteria for distributing money out of a fund related to problems at the Countywide Recycling & Disposal Facility.

Under an order from the agency in March, Countywide agreed to pay more than a $1 million fine, after odors from the Pike Township landfill affected hundreds of residents in the area. Of that money, $250,000 will go into a Community Benefit Fund.

The agency said it would favor doling out money from the fund to projects that:

• Are an investment in the future of the community.

• Are supported by local governments.

• Would improve the environment in a community.

• Would provide environmental education.

People have until Aug. 10 to submit suggestions on what to do with the money. People who've done so already don't have to again.

E-mail ideas to: communityfund@epa.state.oh.us. Mail them to Ohio EPA, P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, OH 43216-1049, or fax to (614) 644-2737.

The EPA said project proposals will be put up on the EPA's Countywide landfill page at:

www.epa.state.oh.us/pic/countywide.html.

People will be free to comment on them before the agency decides whether to approve the projects.