The Big Picture Newsletter

Help us navigate the future at the Summer General Assembly 

Caucus with colleagues and get a chance to guide the implementation of TMACOG’s strategic plan at the Summer General Assembly, scheduled Wednesday, July 24 at Penta Career Center. 

Registration for this exciting event is now open! 

Click here to reserve your seat. 

Our program is centered around updating you on the last several months of work to chart a new course for TMACOG, including a new mission, vision, values, and pillars on which to set a direction for the future. 

See where you fit into TMACOG’s strategic goals and help us ensure that our work considers your organization’s interests and priorities. 

Preview our new tool for Justice40 funding and data! 

Do you know about the Justice40 initiative and how your community may be able to qualify for federal funding programs, in some cases with no required local match? 

Justice40 is a whole-of-government initiative. Hundreds of programs across federal agencies have been transformed to meet Justice40 goals of targeting 40 percent of funding for communities that have been disproportionately burdened by climate change or environmental and infrastructure inequity or have been economically disadvantaged. 

This is different than the Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) data that some federal programs use to determine eligibility; Justice40 gauges new metrics, including climate change, infrastructure, pollution, and access to transportation and essential services. 

To help you determine if your community has eligible census tracts, we’ve created a new Justice40 dashboard that combines two federal data tools, the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool and Equitable Transportation Community Explorer. On our website, you’ll be able to get an explanation of federal data sets, what types of information they evaluate, and a link to the individual portals to check more specific data on areas you met or did not meet. 

Join us for a virtual walkthrough of our data dashboard during a special TMACOG Tech session at 11:30 a.m. Monday, June 10. 

We’ll explain what led to this initiative and share data TMACOG has compiled, as well as examples of how Justice40 has been implemented in “real-world” funding opportunities. 

Our speakers will highlight examples of grant applications that have successfully secured funding by addressing Justice40-related criteria, and strategies and tips for leveraging these funding programs. 

Click here to register, after which you’ll receive a Microsoft Teams link for this virtual event. 

If you have questions, contact Rosanna Hoelzle: hoelzle@tmacog.org  

Thanks to the 2024 supporters of TMACOG Tech: 

  • CT Consultants 
  • DGL Consulting Engineers 
  • The Mannik & Smith Group 
  • Ohio Concrete 

TRANSPORTATION

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$20 million available for local roadway projects 

TMACOG is accepting applications for Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funding for roadway resurfacing, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. 

A local match of at least 20 percent is required, and potential projects must be on a roadway that is eligible for federal aid. TMACOG will be allocating approximately $20 million during this round of funding, with $4 million set aside for small projects.  Awarded projects will be programmed into federal fiscal years 2028-2030 for construction. 

Applicants must be local political subdivisions within the Ohio portion of TMACOG’s transportation planning area, which includes Lucas and Wood counties. Other examples of potential projects include pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and intersection improvements such as roundabouts or turn lanes.  

The maximum construction funding for any single small project is $500,000. Preliminary engineering and right-of-way acquisition costs are not eligible. 

Jurisdictions may submit multiple small project applications for scoring and review, but awards will be limited to one per jurisdiction unless the allocation has not been reached. 

For full federal program guidelines, go to https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/specialfunding/stp/  

Click here for the application package. Project submissions are due by July 19. For more information or to apply, contact Lisa Householder: householder@tmacog.org or 419-241-9155 ext. 1124. 

Gas cap testing is coming up! 

Earn a chance to win one of four electric lawnmowers by visiting a TMACOG event this month to ensure your vehicle’s gas cap isn’t harming the air we breathe. 

TMACOG offers this service each summer as a way of promoting air quality awareness and replacing faulty gas caps that are leaking fuel vapors. 

It’s good for your wallet, as well as the environment! If it doesn’t have a tight seal, your cap could be costing you up to 2 tanks of gas each year. 

Drive up to a testing site and TMACOG staff will do a quick compression test to make sure your cap is sealed. If it’s leaking, you’re eligible to receive a free replacement. 

TMACOG will offer free gas cap testing and replacement from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the following locations: 

  • Monday, June 17: BGSU (Lot 13 near football stadium) 
  • Tuesday, June 18: Westgate (Central Avenue, across from Costco) 
  • Tuesday, June 25: Monroe County Community College, Whitman Center 
  • Wednesday, June 26: Swayne Field Shopping Center (3024 Monroe St.) 

Older vehicles are more likely to have a poorly sealed cap, but any vehicle could be leaking. A loose gas cap may trigger the check engine light, so if the light turns on randomly or right after filling up, the cap may need to be replaced. 

Stay air aware at tmacog.org/air – you can learn more about air quality, check the current conditions around you, and get tips on ways you can help protect the air we share. 

 

Another Bike Month is in the books

Bike Month sped by during May as TMACOG and its partners announced exciting transportation news and promoted the many benefits of cycling at public events throughout the month. 

We kicked off Bike Month with a news conference to announce that TMACOG has received $850,000 with assistance from U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur to begin preliminary engineering and design of a future bike-pedestrian bridge over the Maumee River. 

The bridge, which still requires construction funding, would connect new and expanded sections of the Chessie Circle Trail between South Toledo and northern Wood County.

Share EV feedback with DriveOhio 

Hear a progress update and share feedback on Ohio’s statewide electric vehicle charging plan during a meeting at TMACOG at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 26. 

DriveOhio, a division of the Ohio Department of Transportation, is updating the deployment plan for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program. 

DriveOhio will share progress on EV charging station deployment in Ohio and potential future charging locations. 

Anyone can attend and provide feedback. Following the meeting, guests will have a chance to see an electric vehicle up close and in person. 

WATER QUALITY

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Meet our new water quality planner!

Tiara Davis has joined TMACOG as a water quality planner who will coordinate the Stormwater Coalition and focus on permit compliance, outreach and education projects, and the long-running Student Watershed Watch. 

We are excited to have Tiara join the Water Quality Team! She will be working with Stormwater Coalition members on several education efforts, developing resources to assist with permit compliance, and supporting teachers and students through the Student Watershed Watch program. 

Davis grew up in Columbus and moved to Bowling Green to attend college. She earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental policy and analysis with a specialization in sustainability management from Bowling Green State University. She interned and worked for several years as a laboratory technician with Industrial Fluid Management in McClure. 

Cheers to a new class of utility operators

An initial group of 24 students is on the way to becoming licensed water and wastewater operators after completing a new certificate program created by the Water Workforce Coalition. 

This immersive, 16-week program at Owens Community College provides no-cost education, training, and mentorship to prospective utility operators, a major need across the region. 

TMACOG recognized the trend of retiring utility workers and sought and received a $500,000 grant from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with the support of Ohio EPA, City of Toledo, and many other organizations to develop new employees for this critical workforce. 

Partners gathered to celebrate the first class of participants during a graduation ceremony at Owens on May 9. The program included remarks from student Justin Strause, instructor Mary Kaczinski, and leaders from TMACOG, Owens, and the City of Toledo, as well as Amy Klei, chief of Ohio EPA’s Chief, Division of Drinking and Ground Waters. 

Attorney outlines new Lucas County water quality lawsuit 

The Water Quality Council heard an attorney representing Lucas County explain the commissioners’ position and goals in a new lawsuit over water policies impacting Lake Erie. 

In April, the Lucas County Commissioners and the Environmental Law & Policy Center, joined this time by the City of Toledo, again filed a legal action against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, alleging that U.S. EPA violated the federal Clean Water Act by approving an inadequate total maximum daily load (TMDL) plan submitted by Ohio EPA. 

The TMDL is a regulatory tool of the U.S. Clean Water Act to restore impaired waterways by setting the maximum amount of a pollutant that a body of water can receive while still meeting federal standards. 

This is the most recent of several legal actions Lucas County has led intended to compel state and federal agencies to enforce the Clean Water Act to prevent western Lake Erie’s annual algal blooms.  

Fritz Byers, legal counsel for the commissioners, said May 13 that the TMDL should not have been approved because it does not address the dissolved reactive phosphorus driving algal blooms, and it includes no mechanism to limit manure discharges from industrial animal operations. 

Byers noted that communities in northwest Ohio are invited to support the action by filing amicus briefs. Amicus or “friend of the court” briefs are written arguments that provide input, expertise, or context to help the court make fair and informed decisions. 

Those interested can contact Byers at 419-241-8013 or fritz@fritzbyers.com 

Apply for conservation funds or join local natural resources council 

TMACOG and the District 12 Natural Resources Assistance Council (NRAC) are kicking off a new funding cycle by accepting funding applications for conservation projects and nominations for new council members. 

In Lucas County, more than $20 million in Clean Ohio funding has gone to protecting more than 3,000 acres of open spaces, riparian areas, and wetlands. In many cases, these spaces also offer important opportunities for people to connect with and learn about natural areas. 

More than $1.2 million is available in fiscal year 2025. These funds are available to local political subdivisions and nonprofit organizations, to cover up to 75 percent of the total project cost. The District 12 NRAC will evaluate projects and make recommendations for funding by November 30. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

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Air Quality Awareness Season

Air quality awareness campaign | April - September

 

Gas Cap Testing and Replacement Program

  • Monday, June 17, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Bowling Green State University (Lot 13, Wooster Street and Alumni Drive, near Doyt Perry Stadium) 
  • Tuesday, June 18, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Westgate Village (3450 Central Ave., Toledo) 
  • Tuesday, June 25, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Monroe Community College (Whitman Center, 7777 Lewis Ave., Temperance, Mich.) 
  • Wednesday, June 26, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Swayne Field Shopping Center (3024 Monroe St., Toledo) 

Summer General Assembly

Wednesday, July 24 | Penta Career Center