Last week, Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC), in partnership with presenting sponsor the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) hosted the 2026 Ohio Brownfields Conference. This years event, the fourth since GOPC began hosting the event in 2023, saw more than 300 attendees joining together to make the conference a success.
The 2026 Ohio Brownfields Conference provided thoughtfully designed networking and educational opportunities, featuring 12 panels with topics as diverse as rural development, unlocking opportunities for housing and mixed-use development, and brightfield development opportunities. Additionally, through our partnership with the Ohio EPA, attendees were able to take advantage of the expertise of OEPA staff and attain continuing education credit from the VAP Program through 4 sessions staged throughout the day.
2026 Ohio Brownfields Conference Panel Sessions
For the past 6 years, brownfields advocates have had champions in the Ohio General Assembly who have ensured that the Brownfield Remediation Program (BRP) was established and maintained as an invaluable resource to contribute to the revitalization of communities throughout the state.
The 2025 state budget was a slog, and the future of the BRP was in question at times. Thanks to the leadership of key lawmakers, the BRP was retained and is providing $200 million in grant funds to identify and cleanup dozens of brownfield sites for a further two years.
This year, we honored two of the lawmakers who helped to guarantee the future of the program, State Representatives Brian Stewart (R- Ashville) and Bride Sweeney (D- Cleveland).
L-R: Aaron Clapper, GOPC Director of Outreach and Projects, State Rep. Bride Sweeney (D- Cleveland), State Rep. Brian Stewart (R- Ashville), GOPC Executive Director Alison Goebel, GOPC Director of Strategic Engagement Jason Warner
The leadership and support of dedicated public servants like Representative’s Sweeney and Stewart is why programs like the BRP can thrive and revitalize Ohio communities.
Thank you to everyone who helped to make the 2026 Ohio Brownfields Conference a success, including a sincere thank you to our 41 sponsors who made the conference possible, and our panelists for sharing their knowledge and insights to make the day educational, informative, and relevant.
The 2027 Ohio Brownfields Conference is already in the early stages of planning, and will occur in March 2027 to ensure there is no conflict with the 2027 National Brownfield Conference May 25-28 in Salt Lake City. Be sure to look for updates about the exact date and location.
Cover photo: GOPC Executive Director Alison Goebel and Ohio EPA Director John Logue welcome attendees to the 2026 Ohio Brownfields Conference.