Ohio EPA outlines licensing programs and long-unchanged fees; lawmakers press on training, PFAS readiness

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency described its occupational licensing programs to the House General Government Committee and said fee levels for several programs have not increased in decades, prompting lawmakers to press agency officials on continuing education, emerging contaminants such as PFAS and program capacity.

Sam Smith, Legislative Liaison for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, told the committee the agency issues certifications and licenses across multiple divisions that undergird water, air, hazardous waste and solid-waste programs. "Since 1972, Ohio EPA has been committed to its mission of protecting the environment and the well-being of Ohioans across the state," Smith said.

The testimony sketched program volumes, fee schedules and revenue contributions. For the operator certification program in the Division of Drinking and Groundwater, Ohio EPA said it administers 14 classifications for water and wastewater operators, runs thousands of exams and training approvals annually and issues roughly 1,000 new certificates and 4,500 renewals each year. Smith said renewal fees "have been unchanged for more than 25 years and range from $25 to $65 for renewals and $45 for a new license," and that the program generated about $250,000 in state fiscal year 2025. He also noted a federal requirement that states maintain an operator certification program or risk losing 20% of State Revolving Fund allocations that support water infrastructure.

The agency described the Voluntary Action Program (VAP), which certifies engineers and scientists to verify cleanups that can receive a legal release…