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Summary The intent of the Upper Tuscarawas River Action Plan is to protect and/or restore the water quality of the Upper Tuscarawas River Watershed. It is also the intent of this study to raise public awareness, especially among the watershed's residents, of the valuable natural resource areas in the Upper Tuscarawas River Watershed.  This awareness...

Summary NEFCO worked with the Stark County Health Department (SCHD) and the Stark County Metropolitan Sewer District (SCMSD) to produce an environmental priority ranking for extending sewers to eleven areas the Health Department had determined to have above average failure rates for home sewage treatment systems (HSTSs). These high failure rates are common in areas...

Purpose of the Project The Portage Lakes are a multi-use chain of lakes in Coventry Township, New Franklin, and Green,  immediately south of Akron and the Ohio River-Lake Erie basin divide. They are part of the Portage Lakes State Park and are a regional recreation, economic, and natural resource. The lakes are the center of...

Summary The Nimishillen Creek Watershed is located in northeast Ohio, and drains 188 square miles. Larger municipalities in the watershed include the cities of Canton, Louisville, North Canton, East Canton, and Green. Row crop agriculture is dominant in the north and northeastern portions of the watershed. The City of Canton and several industries are located...

Purpose of Plan The purpose of the watershed plan is to build a framework for the long-term protection and improvement of the Middle Cuyahoga River, its tributaries, and watershed. A major focus of Watershed Action Plan is to achieve the goal of the Clean Water Act, i.e., to restore and protect the chemical, physical, and...

Summary The Little Cuyahoga River is a 17.4 mile long tributary to the Cuyahoga River.  It is located in southeast Summit County and southwest Portage County.  The 61.7 square mile watershed drains portions of the City of Akron, City of Tallmadge, Springfield Township, Village of Lakemore, Village of Mogadore, Brimfield Township, Suffield Township, and Randolph...

Summary NEFCO worked with the Alliance Water Treatment Plant staff to identify priority nutrient reduction areas for failing and non-existent septic systems, manure, sludge, and other agriculture applications, and poor riparian/watershed BMPs. NEFCO used water quality sampling data collected by Alliance Water Treatment Plant staff and existing secondary source data and research, and made assumptions...

Overview History of NEFCO's 208 Plan The Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization (NEFCO) was designated in 1979 by the Governor of Ohio under Section 208 of the federal Clean Water Act to perform areawide planning. Section 208 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) requires that water quality management plans (WQMP) be prepared...

What are Brownfields? Specific examples of sites that could qualify as brownfields include abandoned gas stations, old factory and mill complexes, foundries, junkyards, mine-scarred lands, and other under-utilized or abandoned properties. What is an Assessment? An assessment is an investigation of the brownfield property. A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) involves a review of public...

Partners The 2023 Regional CEDS Committee represents the principal economic interests of the NEFCO region. City of Akron City of Canton City of Kent City of Wooster Portage County Stark County Summit County Wayne County Barberton Community Development Corporation Greater Akron Chamber JumpStart, Inc. Ohio Agricultural Research & Development Center Portage Development Board Stark Economic...

NEFCO received a CARES Act grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to develop an Economic Recovery and Resiliency Plan (ER&R) to respond to the economic injury caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The intent of the ER&R plan is to prepare for and prevent future economic shocks. NEFCO conducted over 50 individual meetings with...

CARES Act Grant Awarded The Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization (NEFCO) was awarded a $400,000 CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant in July 2020 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to help the region respond to the pandemic by providing regional economic disaster recovery and resiliency planning services. Through this grant,...

NEFCO Dues-Paying Members City of Akron City of Canton City of Kent City of Wooster Portage County Stark County Summit County  Wayne County NEFCO Funding Agency Partners Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)

The organization is directed by a General Policy Board which serves as the decision-making body and meets monthly.  The Policy Board is comprised of representatives from the counties of Portage, Stark, Summit and Wayne and the cities of Akron, Canton, Kent and Wooster.  Of the Board’s 38 active members, 14 are elected officials, 18 are...

The Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization (NEFCO) was formed in 1974 as a regional council of governments by the elected officials within the Counties of Portage, Stark, Summit, and Wayne. NEFCO was created as a voluntary organization to enable local officials to discuss problems facing the region and to develop strategies...

NEFCO's mission is to improve the region's quality of life through collaborative planning efforts, with NEFCO's area governments, in order to ensure: Environmental Quality Orderly Growth Economic and Community Development NEFCO's purpose is to serve the county, city, village and township governments and the citizens within the four-county region.  On behalf of these local units...