Cleveland Seeks Federal Grant to Support BioWatch Air Monitoring
The Cleveland Department of Public Health is moving to secure federal funding to maintain specialized air monitoring capabilities through the BioWatch program. Under emergency ordinance 746-2026, the Director of Public Health is authorized to apply for and accept a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support environmental monitoring activities within the city and Cuyahoga County.
What's in the file
The legislation authorizes the Director of Public Health to act as a direct grantee to FEMA to fund the operation of the BioWatch program within the Division of Air Quality. According to the 746-2026-Legislative Summary-BioWatch FFY26-27 Ordinance No (3), the program utilizes fifteen sampling sites across Cuyahoga and Lake counties using Portable Sampling Units (PSU).
The grant, which will not exceed $466,300.00, covers the period from August 1, 2026, through July 31, 2027. Key provisions of the budget include:
- Authorization for the Director to enter into contracts and amendments with FEMA.
- Funding for 12 employees dedicated to BioWatch efforts.
- Procurement of courier services to transport exposed filters to the Ohio Department of Health in Columbus for testing.
- Authorization for vehicle purchases and related parking and maintenance costs.
| Budget Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Personnel | $222,303.00 |
| Fringe Benefits | $93,367.00 |
| Travel/Training | $5,000.00 |
| Supplies | $1,490.00 |
| Contractual | $117,000.00 |
| Other | $13,024.00 |
| Indirect Charges | $14,116.00 |
Who may be affected
- Cleveland Department of Public Health, Division of Air Quality: Responsible for managing the program and performing air pollution control monitoring.
- Cuyahoga and Lake Counties: Locations of the fifteen BioWatch sampling sites.
- Ohio Department of Health: Receives samples via courier for testing.
Status and timeline
- 2026-07-09: Ordinance 746-2026 was introduced.
- 2026-07-09: The emergency ordinance was passed by City Council.
Residents can verify these details and track the implementation of the program through the official Cleveland City Council legislative records.
Source record
- File
- 746-2026
- Type
- Emergency Ordinance
- Status
- Passed
- Committee
- City Council
- Introduced
- July 8, 2026
Official documents
- 746-2026-Ap & Ac Biowatch Program w K's
- 746-2026-Legislative Summary-BioWatch FFY26-27 Ordinance No (3)
- 746-2026-as amended-desk copy-Final
- 746-2026 Amend 746-2026
- FINAL VERSION City Record August 28, 2026 Page 15