Conference committee to address river funds

By D.a. Wilkinson

LISBON — Funding for wild and scenic rivers is about to meet the conference committee.

The Senate version of the state’s two-year budget that is due July 1 for 2010 and 2011 doesn’t provide funds for the state’s 14 designated wild and scenic rivers.

But that may change.

The funding issue could affect the wild and scenic rivers area in southern Columbiana County near Beaver Creek State Park.

Under the new budget proposal, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources is attempting to move funding from its general fund to the division of watercraft through the budget process.

State Sen. Jason Wilson of Columbiana, D-3rd, and State Rep. Linda Bolon, also of Columbiana, D-1st, gave nearly identical reports.

They serve, respectively, on the Senate and House finance committees and have long experience with fiscal issues.

Senate Republicans, they said, don’t want to accept the funding proposal in the House version.

Sean Logan, the director of ODNR who was formerly a Columbiana County commissioner, is trying to switch funding from ODNR’s general fund to a fee-based system within the watercraft division. Logan could not be reached to comment on why he wants the switch.

If approved, the measures would provide about $750,000 a year. That’s the amount that has been budgeted annually on the program.

Under the ODNR plan, a $20 fee would be put on some state vanity license plates. Another funding pool would include a $5 fee on the purchase of small watercraft, such as canoes and kayaks.

The ODNR measure now calls for fees for nonmotorized boats, including a $1.50 fee per boat at liveries, and a $5 fee every three years on nonmotorized boats.

Steve Roloson, a regional scenic river manager for the ODNR, said the scenic rivers have been a good program.

The ODNR also gets a 7‚Ñ8 of 1percent gasoline tax for all gasoline sold in the state.

Ohio was the first state to take part in the national wild and scenic river program. The Beaver Creek area in southern Columbiana County was designated in 1974.

An ODNR spokesperson could not immediately say how the $750,000 is used in the scenic areas.

wilkinson@vindy.com