State Government Roundup: National Guard; Orphan Wells; Meat Processing Services
National Guard to Send 30 Air Defense Soldiers
to DC Area
The Ohio
National Guard announced Monday that approximately 30 members of the
Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 174th Air Defense Artillery Brigade will
deploy to the U.S. capital region. A call to duty ceremony will be held at 1
p.m. Tuesday, with Adjutant General John Harris seeing them off.
According
to a release, the brigade’s personnel “will provide command and supervisory
oversight support to the homeland defense mission, which includes the use of
radar, ground-based air defense systems, and communications equipment to
protect the National Capital Region (NCR).”
The 174
Air Defense Artillery Brigade has previously deployed personnel to the
Washington, D.C. area on four occasions, according to the release. National
Guard personnel have been performing this mission since 2003.
ODNR Dedicates $29 Million in Federal, State Funds to
Orphan Wells
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources' (ODNR) Division of Oil and Gas
Resources Management (DOGRM) will preside over $28.5 million in funding
authority for a new program to remediate orphan wells.
Construction management firms will coordinate with architectural
engineers to plug 40–200 orphan wells, expanding the 350 wells remediated over
the past three years under 132-HB225 (Thompson).
"Proper plugging of orphan wells is necessary to protect public
health and safety, conserve natural resources and allow the efficient
development of Ohio’s oil and gas resources," DOGRM says in a new request
for qualification (RFQ) from construction firms interested in providing orphan
well management.
Two firms will receive federal funding of roughly $11 million each for
additional well plugging. Another $6 million in state money will go to two
architectural/engineering firms that will work in concert with construction
managers. Contracts may be amended with additional federal funding.
The RFQ can be found at https://tinyurl.com/yxa36rar.
DeWine
Awards $10 Million to Strengthen Food Supply Chain in Ohio
Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted recently announced
that 40 Ohio livestock and poultry producers will receive grants totaling $10
million to help them expand capacity and meet the growing demand for meat
processing services.
“The supply chain issues that our country is facing
have put increased pressure on our meat processors, and they can't keep up with
the demand," said DeWine in a prepared statement. "By awarding this
money, we can help these Ohio businesses enhance their operations to strengthen
the local meat supply chain and reduce reliance on out-of-state
processors."
Each company will receive a grant of up to $250,000,
with half of the funds disbursed before projects are started and the other half
awarded after the companies show that the initial funds were spent on eligible
costs. In total, the businesses receiving awards have estimated that the funds
will help them create up to 830 jobs.
“These grants will not only benefit consumers, but
they will also help sustain these businesses and bring new job opportunities to
Ohioans,” Husted added. “In addition to new jobs, this funding will help
businesses retain 300 jobs and nearly $30 million in payroll.”
The DeWine-Husted administration prioritized the
creation of the Ohio Meat Processing
Grant Program in the state's FY22-23 operating
budget, which was passed by the Ohio General Assembly last year. Grant
funding will be used to implement processing efficiencies, expand or
construct facilities at existing sites, assist in training and certification,
and improve harvest services.
The $10 million grant program, administered by the
Ohio Department of Development in collaboration with the Ohio Department of
Agriculture, generated 143 applications requesting more than $28 million.
Grants were awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible businesses.
“The interest in this program shows that this industry
is ready to improve its processes and increase its efficiency,” said Ohio
Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik. “We are prepared to get these
funds into the hands of operators quickly so that they can begin to implement
their plans.”
“Ohio’s meat processing industry is incredibly
important to our food supply chain,” said Ohio Department of Agriculture
Director Dorothy Pelanda. “These grants will provide some much-needed help to
facilities that are critical to maintaining an abundant food supply.”
For more information about the grant, visit https://tinyurl.com/mrx9bdvh.
Story originally published in The Hannah Report on March 14, 2022. Copyright 2022 Hannah News Service, Inc.