New law designed to prevent future pollution of Lake Erie

Gov. John R. Kasich had a salient message when he traveled last week to Maumee Bay State Park, stood in front of windows overlooking Lake Erie and signed Senate Bill 1 into law: Lake Erie is too important to the state of Ohio to be at the mercy of potential polluters.

The governor wasn’t looking for a photo opportunity when he chose that particular setting for the bill- signing. Rather, he wanted to make sure that last summer’s water crisis in Toledo wasn’t forgotten.

More than a half-million residents of Northwest Ohio lost a critical source of drinking water when a do-not-drink order was issued by city and state officials after Harmful Algal Blooms fouled the waters of Lake Erie. The order was in effect for about three days, and during that time the hardship, sacrifice and inconvenience served as a wake-up call to local and state governments.

Kasich’s comments during the signing of SB 1 were on point with regard to pollution that contributed to the Lake Erie Algal Blooms.

“This is a big step here; we’re going to try to avoid this runoff,” he said.

According to The Blade of Toledo, the law prohibits the spreading of manure and other phosphorous or nitrogen fertilizers on frozen, snow-covered, or saturated ground in the western Lake Erie watershed. It also prohibits spreading manure if a weather forecast calls for a 50 percent chance of a half-inch or more of precipitation over 24 hours, or for granular fertilizers, an inch over 12 hours.

The bill also requires public water-treatment plants handling 1 million or more gallons a day to monitor phosphorous levels monthly, and prohibits open-lake dumping of dredged material in Lake Erie by July 1, 2020.

‘REASONABLE, TOUGH’ BILL

“It’s a reasonable bill, it’s a tough bill, and if you don’t cooperate we’re going to bang you over the head,” Kasich said. “And if you have legitimate problems and you’re a small- business person, we’re going to work with you to fix it. It is absolutely the right balance.”

It is noteworthy that the House and Senate unanimously approved the bill, and that Republican and Democratic legislators were present at the signing.

State Rep. Brian Hill, R-Zanesville, chairman of the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, conceded that the legislation was “tough for me personally,” but he praised the agriculture community for “being part of the solution.

State Rep. Michael Sheehy, D-Oregon, called the law “an important first step in protecting our most valuable resource for generations to come.”

Environmental groups also had positive things to say about the legislative initiative, but in thanking Gov. Kasich for “a good first step,” they asked for further action.

The Harmful Algal Blooms that fouled Lake Erie have also attracted the attention of Congress, where Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, a Republican, has led successful efforts to increase federal involvement and support in the war on the microscopic toxins. They deplete oxygen from water, creating massive dead zones.

When they ooze into a drinking water supply they not only cause discoloration, but the water becomes hazardous to ingest. HABs can cause diarrhea, vomiting and serious abnormalities in liver function.

The prompt response by the Legislature and Gov. Kasich’s strong message during the bill-signing ceremony should reassure all Ohioans that Lake Erie will be protected for years to come.