Wednesday, June 21, 2006
SALEM -- City council approved Tuesday filing a lawsuit against the U.S. EPA over phosphorus limits in the discharge from the city treatment plant.
The dispute, which has been going on since 2002, will now move to U.S. District Court at the request of the city's utilities commission.
The city is questioning the scientific basis for the federal EPA requirement. The Ohio EPA has adopted the federal standards for the Little Beaver Creek watershed.
The commission has said that if it is required to comply with the federal limits, Salem will have to spend about $12 million to improve its treatment facilities.
The commissioner has said it can get the phosphorus level to about half of what the federal and state EPA's want.
Councilman Justin Palmer was the only councilman who voted against the measure. He said the city should try to better clean the discharge water.
Council also approved an application to seek grant funds from the Ohio Historical Preservation Office. The application didn't ask for a specific amount.
The goal is to get funding to print brochures about the Underground Railroad, which passed through Salem.
City Law Director Brad Zellers said that the city's share of the cost might be a few hundred dollars.