Lake
Erie - Shoreline Protection |
| The OEC is working in court and in the sand to protect public access to our beaches and favorite fishing spots, Lake Erie’s coast and to stop an attempt to privatize the Lake Erie Shoreline and open it up to uncontrolled commercial development. The OEC has teamed up with sportsmen and fellow environmental-conservation groups in this effort. |
At various locations across
Ohio’s Lake Erie coast, upland property owners
have illegally built fences across the
beach and into the waters of Lake Erie without federal,
state or local authorizations.
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View draft rules. Ohio Environmental Council staff and volunteers are attending Coastal Resources Advisory Council subcommittee meetings in Cleveland, Ashtabula, and Bay Village, monitoring the overhaul of coastal land lease regulations. OEC submitted formal comments on the revised rule to the council. Two public meetings have been proposed, but not scheduled, for the Cleveland and Sandusky areas. DNR has put revision of draft rules on hold temporarily to fully analyze the Lake County court ruling. Check back for postings of public comment notices.
Attorney General Marc Dan Appeals Lake County Court Ruling - OEC files Appeal of Lake County Court Ruling |
“We stand arm-in-arm with the Attorney General to uphold the right of all Ohio citizens—not just a privileged few—to enjoy access to Lake Erie,” said Larry Mitchell, president of the League of Ohio Sportsmen. “We will vigorously defend the public trust doctrine and we will prevail.”
The case, Merrill v. State of Ohio and NWF, et. al., is similar to a landmark Michigan lawsuit that resulted in a unanimous Michigan Supreme Court decision upholding the public trust up to the high water mark.
The National Wildlife Federation, Ohio Environmental Council and League of Ohio Sportsmen filed the notice of appeal with the Eleventh District Court of Appeals of Ohio.
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