Ohio VAP Certified Professional - Requirements, Training, and Certification

Overview

A Certified Professional (CP) is the cornerstone of Ohio’s Voluntary Action Program (VAP). CPs are the only professionals authorized to oversee VAP property assessments, determine whether properties meet cleanup standards, and prepare No Further Action (NFA) letters. Unlike most state cleanup programs where the regulatory agency directs the investigation and approves each step, the VAP delegates that authority to the CP - making the certification both a significant professional credential and a serious responsibility.

CP certification is governed by OAC 3745-300-05 and administered by Ohio EPA’s Division of Environmental Response and Revitalization (DERR).

What a CP Does

A CP manages the entire VAP process for a volunteer (property owner or developer):

Conducts or oversees Phase I and Phase II property assessments under VAP rules
Determines applicable cleanup standards from CIDARS
Evaluates all exposure pathways and compares site data to VAP standards
Oversees remediation if needed
Prepares the NFA letter certifying the property meets VAP standards
Verifies Urban Setting Designations if applicable
Signs and stamps the NFA letter, taking professional responsibility for its accuracy

The CP operates without ongoing Ohio EPA oversight during the investigation and cleanup. Ohio EPA reviews the work only when the NFA is submitted for a Covenant Not to Sue, and through its annual audit program (at least 25% of NFAs are audited).

Eligibility Requirements

Education

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant field. Qualifying disciplines typically include environmental science, environmental engineering, geology, hydrogeology, chemistry, or related earth sciences and engineering fields.

Experience

Applicants must have relevant professional experience in environmental site assessment, remediation, or related work. The specific experience requirements are defined in OAC 3745-300-05. Experience must demonstrate competence in the types of investigations and evaluations required under the VAP rules.

Professional Registration

CPs are typically licensed professional engineers (P.E.) or professional geologists (P.G.) in Ohio, though the specific registration requirements should be confirmed with Ohio EPA.

Initial Certification

Training

Ohio EPA offers the CP Initial Training course approximately every three months (quarterly) in Columbus. This training covers the VAP rules, standards, assessment procedures, NFA preparation, and the responsibilities of a CP.

Subscribe to the VAP training interested party mailing list on the Ohio EPA website for notifications about upcoming training dates.

Application

After completing the initial training, submit a certification application to Ohio EPA with supporting documentation of education, experience, and training completion. Ohio EPA reviews the application to verify qualifications before issuing certification.

Continuing Education

CPs must complete a minimum of 12 professional development hour units (PDHUs) of relevant continuing education each year to maintain certification. Of the 12 hours:

At least 6 PDHUs must be courses offered by Ohio EPA that have been approved as PDHUs
The remaining hours may be from other relevant continuing education sources

Ohio EPA Training Opportunities

Ohio EPA offers several regular training events that count toward the PDHU requirement:

CP Coffees - informal training sessions held 2-3 times per year, typically 3-4 hours each. These cover current topics, rule interpretations, common issues, and Q&A with Ohio EPA staff.
Annual CP Training Session - typically a full-day session held in the fall, covering program updates, rule changes, and technical topics.
Other Ohio EPA workshops and webinars as announced through the interested party mailing list.

Annual Recertification

CP certification must be renewed annually. To recertify, the CP must:

Document completion of at least 12 PDHUs (with at least 6 from Ohio EPA courses) during the previous certification year
Submit a complete renewal application to Ohio EPA
Pay any applicable renewal fees

Failure to renew results in loss of certification. A CP who loses certification cannot prepare NFA letters or perform CP-level work under the VAP until recertified.

Accountability

The VAP’s private-sector model places significant accountability on CPs:

CPs and laboratories that fail to meet VAP requirements may face civil or criminal penalties
Falsifying or withholding information in an NFA letter is a serious violation
Ohio EPA audits at least 25% of NFAs annually to verify that sites were properly assessed and cleaned up
All documents submitted to Ohio EPA as part of the VAP are publicly accessible

Why CP Certification Matters

For environmental consultants working in Ohio, CP certification opens the door to VAP work - one of the most active cleanup programs in the state. The VAP is the primary mechanism for brownfield redevelopment in Ohio, and every VAP project requires a CP.

For property owners and developers, understanding what a CP does (and does not do) is important for setting expectations. The CP is your advocate and technical expert through the VAP process, but they are also bound by the program rules and their professional obligations. A good CP will tell you when a property can achieve NFA status and when it cannot.

Key Contacts

Ohio EPA VAP Staff: (614) 644-2924
CP Certification Information: Ohio EPA Division of Environmental Response and Revitalization, Certified Professional webpage
Training Notifications: Subscribe to the VAP training interested party mailing list on the Ohio EPA website

Source

OAC 3745-300-05: Certified Professional Requirements. Ohio EPA VAP Fact Sheet. Ohio EPA Certified Professional webpage.