Ohio lawmakers eye bond issue for water-quality improvements
By Marc Kovac
COLUMBUS
A group of lawmakers representing Lake Erie districts is eyeing a 2016 bond issue to provide funding for sewer upgrades and other efforts to improve the state’s water quality.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni of Boardman, D-33rd, has a bond plan of his own, calling for $1 billion – $100 million in annual funding over 10 years – for water, wastewater and sewer improvements.
The Lake Erie Caucus, a bipartisan group, played host to a hearing Tuesday at the Statehouse to consider bond proposals already introduced in the Legislature and offered by outside groups.
“I have not heard anyone who says that it’s not a good idea to do more to help the cause of Lake Erie and statewide clean water, so the question always is, ‘What’s next?’ And I think today’s forum outlined a process for what’s next,” said Sen. Randy Gardner, R-Bowling Green, who is heading the caucus.
Tuesday’s hearing included a review of recommendations by Healthy Water Ohio, a group headed by the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation that has proposed $250 million in annual funding for water, sewer and related improvements. That total would include about $100 million from a state bond issue, with the remainder coming from user fees, private contributions and other sources.
Schiavoni introduced his bond resolution after E. coli issues at Mill Creek MetroParks in Youngstown, traced to overflows from an aged sewer system.
Youngstown officials already have long-term plans for dealing with that and other water and sewer issues, with $147 million in projects outlined over a 20-year period. The third phase of that project, not scheduled to start for about 15 years, focuses on Mill Creek, with new infrastructure that would direct rain overflows to the Mahoning River.
Other areas in the state are dealing with similar infrastructure issues, Schiavoni said.
“Unfortunately, this situation is not unique,” he said. “Water-quality issues have been well-documented in every corner of our state, from Lake Erie to the Ohio River. These threats to our drinking water are often the result of antiquated and insufficient sewer and water systems.”
The proposed bond issue, Schiavoni said, would be comparable to the state’s public-works program. Voters last year approved nearly $1.9 billion in bonding for roads, bridges and other projects through that program.
The proposed water quality-related bond program also would require voter support.
Schiavoni said he hoped to place the issue before voters in March, though that would leave a short window for lawmakers to act – less than two months – to complete the legislative process in time for the primary.