PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
July 15, 2011

Governor plugs the hole, vetoes legislation that would drain Lake Erie

Governor swims against tide of industry, his own Natural Resource Department

Columbus, OH - Ohio Governor John Kasich today unexpectedly vetoed an industry-backed bill that threatened to allow factories and other industrial facilities to withdraw millions of gallons of water from Lake Erie and inland waterways that drain to it, without government oversight.

Last month, the Ohio House and Senate rushed to jam through a complex bill that was supposed to sustain water supplies for the five Great Lakes and the inland lakes, rivers, tributaries, and ground water that drain to the Great Lakes. Instead, lawmakers sided with industry and mining interests to pass an unbalanced plan that threatened lowered water flows and concentrated pollutants, placing recreation, tourism, and wildlife at risk.

The radical proposal drew fire from top officials across the region, including Governors Rick Snyder (R-MI) and Andrew Cuomo (D-NY); U.S. Representatives Betty Sutton (D-Akron), Marcia Fudge (D-Cleveland), Tim Ryan (D-Niles), and Brian Higgins (D-Buffalo, NY); former Ohio Governors Bob Taft (R-Cincinnati) and George Voinovich (R-Cleveland), and former ODNR Directors Sam Speck, Fran Buchholzer, and Joe Sommer; and former Ohio EPA Director Chris Jones.

The Lake Erie Charter Boat Association and a host of environmental-conservation groups also attacked the flawed plan for being out of whack with the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact the bill is intended to implement-an agreement among the eight Great Lakes states to control water use within the Lakes drainage basin, as well as prohibit water leaving the basin.

"Thank you, Gov. Kasich, for not being afraid to do the right thing," said Kristy Meyer, Ohio Environmental Council's Director of Agricultural & Clean Water Programs. "It is unbelievable that this unbalanced bill got all the way to the governor's desk. Fortunately, Gov. Kasich has flashed his veto pen. Maybe now big business will get down to business and work responsibly to help craft a balanced plan."

"The question is, which way will Ohio and Lake Erie tip?" said Meyer. "So much is at stake here. More dangerous algal blooms. Less protected fish spawning areas. Tapped out streams and groundwater. That's why we need a strong plan for Ohio."

Ohio has until 2013 to adopt legislation that implements the Compact's water management provisions.

Earlier this summer, State Representative Dennis Murray (D-Sandusky) and State Senator Mike Skindell (D-Lakewood) introduced legislation to protect Lake Erie and its tributaries.

Conservation groups praised the Democrats' plan for balancing the needs of industrial water users - including manufacturers, agriculture and bottlers - with the needs of public drinking water systems, the travel and tourism industry and wildlife.

"Thanks to Governor Kasich, Ohio can still get this right," said Meyer.

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The mission of the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) is to secure healthy air, land, and water for all who call Ohio home. The OEC is Ohio's leading advocate for fresh air, clean water, and sustainable land use. The OEC has a 40-year history of innovation, pragmatism, and success. Using legislative initiatives, legal action, scientific principles, and statewide partnerships, the OEC secures a healthier environment for Ohio's families and communities. For more information, visit www.theOEC.org.