Ohio Attorney General issues opinion regarding the maintenance of underground storm water drainage.

A township is not required to maintain or repair underground storm water drainage facilities when those facilities were installed by a developer and located in unincorporated territory.  The duty to maintain only arises when necessary for the removal of water from township roads.  For more information, click here.

U.S. EPA finalizes rules governing carbon sequestration.

The new rules ensure appropriate geographical testing and monitoring of CO2 movement.  To review the rules, click here.

U.S. EPA proposes guidance for underground storage tanks.

The guidance addresses how to store biofuel blends.  Comments are due December 17, 2010.  For more information, click here.

U.S. EPA in the process of studying the effect of hydraulic fracturing process on drinking water quality.

Of the nine firms currently using the fracturing process, eight complied with EPA’s request for information.  The study is congressionally mandated.  For more information, click here.

U.S. EPA finalizes greenhouse gas reporting requirements for the petroleum and natural gas industries.

Petroleum and natural gas facilities that emit at least 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide must report emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.  For more information, click here.

Ohio EPA issues draft revisions to water quality standards containing designated uses for eight bodies of water.

The revisions would affect Grand River, Sandusky River, Huron River, Great Miami River, Portage River, Muskingum River, Mahoning River and Mill Creek.  For more information, click here.

Ohio EPA issues draft renewal general permit covering industrial storm water discharges.

The new draft adds different industries and establishes additional monitoring requirements.  For more information, a public information session will be held on December 16, 2010.  For more information, click here.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources issues a draft report containing recommendations for implementing the Great Lakes Compact in Ohio.

The advisory board that produced these recommendations will submit a final report to the Governor and General Assembly by December 15, 2010.  For more information, click here.

Fink v. Twentieth Century Homes, 2010-Ohio-5486 (8th Dist. Ohio November 10, 2010).

In a suit against a public entity (for common law torts allegedly caused by the maintenance of a sewer system), a plaintiff need not affirmatively demonstrate an exception to immunity to survive a motion to dismiss.  To review the case, click here.