The Ohio Air Quality Development Authority approved $1,987,909 in Ohio Coal Development Office (OCDO) funding for 16 clean-coal research projects at seven Ohio universities. Nine projects were funded for the 2007-2008 academic year, with the other seven funded for each of the next two academic years.

Beginning in 2008, OCDO will award all grants on a two-year funding basis. The total approved this year included $148,750 for Ohio University to administer the program.

OCDO funds represent 75 percent of the cost for each research project. The remaining 25 percent, or $672,483, will be borne by the seven universities, bringing total grant funding to $2,660,392. Six grants were awarded to the Ohio State University, three to the University of Cincinnati, and one each to the University of Akron, Case Western Reserve University, the University of Dayton, Ohio University and the University of Toledo.