Hiner suggests funding go to Conesville Industrial Site

State Representative Mark Hiner (R-Howard) sent a letter to Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development, to encourage action on awarding funding from the All Ohio Future Program to the Conesville Industrial Park in Coshocton County.

As the former location of the Conesville Power Plant, which was co-owned by American Electric Power, this new site is being developed in preparation for a modern, innovative industrial park, to be used for manufacturing, a data center, and power generation.

“This site is a prime candidate for All-Ohio Future funding,” Hiner said. “Not only is it located in a part of the state that is poised for economic development and growth, but the site itself has the potential to be developed as a central location for future manufacturing and power generation here in Ohio.”

Rep. Hiner, in his letter, stated: “The Conesville Industrial Site is a prime destination for the allocation of this funding. It represents an opportunity to revitalize an Appalachian brownfield site and create a shovel-ready site for future manufacturing and power generation at a time when it’s needed most here in Ohio and the region. I believe I speak for my community when I say that in addition to the development that has already taken place, we are ready and eager to hit the ground running on next steps, and this funding would be a very helpful resource in finalizing plans for this site.”

The Conesville Industrial Park is being developed on a portion of the 2,400 acres of the former coal-fired Conesville Power Plant. The closing of the plant in 2020 devastated Coshocton County in eastern Appalachian Ohio. Over $60 million in private funds have already been spent to redevelop the site. The site has been a finalist for several nationwide manufacturing plant site searches. However, the lack of water and sewer has proven to be a major barrier.

In total, the Ohio General Assembly provided $750 million for the All Ohio Future Fund in the current state budget. Coshocton Port Authority with support from the Coshocton County Commissioners, the City of Coshocton, and Frontier Group of Companies have applied for $58 million through the All Ohio Future Fund to install water, sewer, and critical road infrastructure on the site.