The announcement was made on Wednesday by Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray who has been working with the U.S. Department of Justice, GM and 14 other states to secure the funding.
Officials said $25.7 million has been granted to the former GM plant in Moraine. The money will be used to remove contaminated soil and structures and to conduct ground water monitoring.
Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland said the agreement is a positive result for the communities where the former sites are located.
Other locations to receive funding are: * $7.2 million for GM Elyria for maintenance and monitoring associated with the closure of a hazardous waste area on the property * $2.9 million for the GM Mansfield Stamping site for site investigation, potential soil excavation and ground water monitoring * $2.6 million for the GM Toledo Landfill for operation and maintenance of a landfill cap and site evaluation * $746,000 for the GM Parma Complex for site investigation.
The first phases of cleanup work in Ohio will begin at the GM Mansfield Stamping site and the GM Parma Complex. Remediation and maintenance at the Ohio sites could continue for several years.
The signed environmental trust settlement agreement is part of a liquidation plan filed by the "old" General Motors. That plan and the settlement agreement must be approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Approval is expected early in 2011.
A total of $499 million in environmental property funding is being set aside in the trust for the cleanup of a total of 89 sites in 14 states. An administrative trustee, appointed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, will select cleanup managers to work with the states to oversee remediation activities.
While buyers interested in acquiring the old GM sites will not directly receive any trust money, the old sites will be able to transfer to new owners and site assessment or cleanup activities will continue to be paid for via the trust. The states expect that the investment of these dollars into the sites will make it more likely that these properties can be put back into productive use.