A Land Issue

Defiance County’s land bank discussed EPA approval of an environmental agreement on the former SK Hand Tool Corp. property, allowing the cleanup process to proceed. County Commissioner, David Kern…who chaired the land bank board’s monthly meeting…noted that the EPA has approved a report on soil samplings at the site…south of Hopkins Street, in Richland Township. This will allow a remediation contract to be put out for bid. The property is owned by the land bank…which originally had reached a deal with an Ohio company to remove the old factory and take possession of the land thereafter. Although the company took down the old factory, the land bank later paid the company to take possession of the property and relinquish its involvement with the site. The property was abandoned a number of years ago when SK Hand Tool declared bankruptcy.