The Kasich administration says it’s disappointed in a commission’s vote Thursday to delay action on the governor’s executive order creating tougher rules on farm runoff to clean Lake Erie. But farmers say they’re already implementing water quality practices so the state still has time to work on the issue.
Ohio Farm Bureau president Frank Burkett says farmers are already taking major steps to manage their nutrients, so fertilizer doesn’t run off their land and contribute to toxic algae blooms in Lake Erie.
“And they will do that voluntarily or they’ll do them in some of the legislation that’s already been passed in a regulatory environment but it needs to be a transparent process,” Burkett said.
But Kasich has said the algae problem in Lake Erie needs to be addressed now and that current regulations aren’t enough.
A panel voted to delay the order until they could see final language on the rules, which might not happen until next year when Kasich is out of office.
