Cleveland air quality rules still unresolved; city passes on two charter school bids for closed buildings

Cleveland has not yet decided whether to adopt stricter air quality rules. The legislation, described as long delayed, would tighten requirements on new sources of pollution. Cleveland-Cliffs, a steel producer, requested that the city soften the proposed standards.

City Council President Blaine Griffin told Signal Cleveland in a phone interview that he was not ready to commit to passage before year's end, saying he wanted an update on earlier talks with the company. His remarks came after a health committee session where members raised concerns about the pace of the legislation. Council Member Austin Davis said he hoped the measure would pass this year, while acknowledging more work remains.

Separately, the city declined bids from two charter operators for buildings closed by the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Pansophic Learning, a Virginia-based operator known in Ohio as ACCEL, proposed a roughly $24 million network spanning six schools before appearing to remove two from its bid. United Schools, based in Columbus, offered $5 million for K-8 sites at Hannah Gibbons and Bolton. Mayor Justin Bibb's administration rejected both, and city records cited resident concerns about charters.