MIKE BRAUN 'Pay to pave' would soothe Ohio budget troubles

Ohio's budget crisis is no secret. The past few months have seen many stories about the problems the state faces, the governor's solutions, criticism of same and alternatives promoted by all sides.
However, there is one area that, if attended to, could add money to state coffers, cut state taxpayer costs and protect valuable wetlands.
A recent press release from the Ohio Environmental Council asserts that Ohio is subsidizing builders and developers in destroying wetlands all across the state.
The OEC is a private watchdog organization for the state's environment. According to its Web site, "The mission of the Ohio Environmental Council is to inform, unite and empower Ohio citizens to protect the environment and conserve natural resources."
Last week the OEC in a combined effort with the League of Ohio Sportsmen and the Ohio Smallmouth Alliance urged legislators to change a $1 million state program that ensures contractors follow state law when filling wetlands or rerouting streams during building projects.
Silent spring
"In nearly a hundred places around Ohio, nature's symphony was silent this spring -- and will never be heard from again," said Jack Shraner, OEC public affairs coordinator. "That's because our state government gave a green light nearly 100 times last year for someone to fire up their bulldozer and fill in and pave over yet more wetlands or 'culvertize' and reroute more small streams and replace them, more often than not, with an asphalt parking lot, a cutesy cul-de-sac of monotonous, mushroom-colored houses, a coal mine operation, or some other for-profit project that just had to be sited smack in the middle of some of nature's most pristine handiwork."
Shraner, speaking for the OEC in a position paper released last week, said Ohio treats its wetlands and small streams like just another commodity and termed it a scandal that state government "is reneging on its legal responsibility to demand adequate compensation whenever the wildlife of these special resources -- resources that the state holds in trust for the people of Ohio -- is forever lost."
What the OEC and the other groups involved would like to see is increased fees for contractors, developers, builders and others who wish to change, destroy, move, or otherwise affect wetlands and small streams. "The groups are proposing that applicants for permits to fill a wetland or stream protected by the Clean Water Act pay a $5,000 application fee and an additional $2,000 per wetland acre and $2 per linear foot of stream impacted by the project," Shraner said.
Termed a "pay to pave" initiative, the change in fees could generate $560,000, about half of the program's projected cost for 2004.
Inequitable payment
Current budget projections show hard-earned dollars that taxpayers send to Columbus that go to the general fund will be used to fund 90 percent, or about $900,000, for the program. On the other hand, Shraner said, developers will pay only $34,000, less than 3 percent of program costs.
"We don't understand why lawmakers aren't asking the millionaire mega-mall developers to pay their fair share when industry insists on building on top of nature's irreplaceable wetlands and streams," said Larry Mitchell, president of the League of Ohio Sportsmen.
"Industry is enjoying a bonanza at the expense of Ohio's wetlands and wildlife," said Mike Utt, president of the Ohio Smallmouth Alliance. "Wildlife is destroyed, the taxpayers get rolled, and developers acquire top-shelf natural resources at bargain-basement prices. It's high time for the development industry to pay their fair share. After all, they're the ones turning a buck or two at Mother Nature's expense."
Voluntary increase
Mitchell added that "sportsmen know that it takes money for the state to wisely manage its wildlife resources. That's why we've voluntarily asked the Legislature to raise our hunting and fishing license fees for next season to help fund important conservation programs."
Shraner said the OEC is working to get the change in the state operating budget bill (HB 95) and urged sportsmen, conservationists and others interested in protecting the state's wetland habitat to contact their state senator at www.legislature.state.oh.us or (800) 282-0253.
braun@vindy.com