Toledo's cleanup of Acme power plant approved

The former Toledo Edison Acme Generating Station was the last part of the Marina District site to be cleared of environmental pollution. The Ohio EPA issued a 'covenant not to sue,' meaning the city and any future owners are not legally responsible for any additional environmental investigation. TOLEDO EDISON Enlarge

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has approved the city of Toledo's cleanup of the former Toledo Edison Acme Generating Station site in East Toledo by issuing a "covenant not to sue."

The covenant means that, as long as the former power plant site is redeveloped and maintained in accordance with certain restrictions, the city and any future property owners are not legally responsible to the state of Ohio for any additional environmental investigation or remediation.

According to an OEPA statement, the 3.84-acre Acme site at 1522 Front St. is now suitable for commercial or industrial redevelopment following the removals of soil contaminated with arsenic and benzo(a)pyrene at two locations and, from the former power plant, materials containing asbestos.

The use of groundwater from the site is restricted, and future buildings on the site must have systems to prevent vapor intrusions from the soil unless it can be positively demonstrated that such precautions are unnecessary.

The covenant not to sue is "a significant milestone in the redevelopment of this brownfield," the state agency's statement said.

The power plant site was part of a larger property the city accepted from Toledo Edison in 2003, along with $4.3 million.

It is part of a 125-acre area proposed for redevelopment as the Marina District, much of which has required environmental remediation toward which the city has spent about $43 million, mostly from state grants.

The decommissioned power plant was the last part of the Marina District site to be cleared of environmental pollution. Part of the structure was torn down for its cleanup, while much of its outer brick shell is proposed to be reused in the new development.

Dashing Pacific, a U.S. corporation formed by Chinese investors, bought 69 acres of the Marina District last year for $3.8 million, and holds two purchase options on another 22.75 acres at $55,000 per acre.

So far, the site's only new construction has been the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority's $3.1 million Maritime Center, built as a ferry terminal but also soon to be occupied by the National Great Lakes Maritime Museum, scheduled to open next year; the city's Toledo Skyway Marina, and a main access road through the Marina District site.

Contact David Patch at: dpatch@theblade.com or 419-724-6094.