Ohio's Voluntary Action Program: An Economic Development Tool or a Subtle Environmental Loophole?

In an effort to remediate and reuse abandoned or contaminated industrial properties, the Ohio State legislature passed a law in 1994 that created the Ohio Voluntary Action Program (VAP). VAP consists of a series of incentives for property owners and prospective buyers to accelerate cleanup and reuse of abandoned sites or "brownfields." This paper examines the essence of this unconventional approach to socioeconomic development and environmental restoration. The weaknesses of the program are discussed, and recommendations are made to make the program more workable, more realistic, and conducive to environmental protection and public health.