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State Representative Jim Buchy
Continued
Interest in Reducing Nutrient Loading in Ohio Waterways
Lake Erie covers almost 10,000 square miles and serves as a source of
pride for the State of Ohio. Acting as the north coast of Ohio,
this lake is a natural landmark known throughout North America and
beyond. Keeping the water in the lake potable and healthy is an
important task that all Ohioans should be a part of.
Lake Erie is a major source of tourism in the state with activities
such as boating, fishing, bird watching and site seeing. The
impact of the lake on the water supply is sometimes overlooked—but the
lake provides 2.6 million people with drinking water.
In west central Ohio, we have been aware of concerns over our natural
waterways for several years because of Grand Lake St. Marys. Our
farmers are working together to reduce their impact on Ohio
waterways. By constructing proper storage facilities for manure
and increasing exports of manure, when possible, local farmers are
making strides forward to reduce the impact of agriculture on water
quality.
Along the lake, I am hearing about business owners changing their
practices as well. Each step taken to reduce phosphorous loading
is bringing us closer to a healthier lake long term. Following
the recent water crisis in Toledo, those in the Lake Erie watershed are
looking to west central Ohio for proven practices that have
successfully reduced runoff.
As recently as June 2014, Governor Kasich signed Senate Bill 150, which
will lead to more opportunities for those in the agricultural community
to remain educated on the latest practices that will reduce the
overloading of nutrients on Ohio’s farm land.
When 400,000 people were temporarily left without drinking water in the
Toledo area, the Governor dove right in and asked his cabinet to work
on solutions. As a result of their ongoing work, Ohio farmers
will be the recipients of $1.25 million to mitigate future water
quality issues by planting cover crops or installing controlled
drainage devices that protect against nutrient runoff.
Additionally, $150 million in zero-interest loans is being made
available to local water plants to upgrade their local drinking water
and wastewater treatment facilities to reduce any negative impacts
outdated systems may be having on Ohio’s waterways.
Lastly, $2 million will be made available to Ohio universities for
further research on algae blooms. There is much work to be done
in the research arena to determine causes and study solutions to water
quality issues.
I will continue working with the Governor, state agencies, and local
officials to find ways to reduce nutrient loading in Ohio waterways and
improve the quality of water in Ohio. We are so fortunate to have
many people willing to help in this process and I appreciate everyone’s
continued efforts.
Please give me your opinion on this topic and others in the news this
month by completing an online survey at tinyurl.com/buchyoctober2014.
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