Ohio Senate Republicans are saying one of their top goals is to protect what they believe to be the state’s number one natural resource: Lake Erie. They say keeping Lake Erie clean will be a team effort that doesn’t just fall on the shoulders of farmers.
Sen. Bob Peterson of southeast Ohio said they want to bring in environmentalists, water treatment facility operators and farmers to make sure fertilizer and other nutrients don’t get into Lake Erie, causing harmful algal blooms.
While Peterson doesn’t go into specifics, he suggests that a new bill will encourage best practices.
“More grass waterways, more filter strips, cover crops, everything that holds the soil in place and holds those nutrients, keeping them from entering the water system,” Peterson said.
The Ohio Environmental Council says there’s an open dialogue happening at the Senate and urges that every party must be held accountable for their part in cleaning Lake Erie.
Peterson says it’s possible they might seek a bond issue to help fund nutrient management projects.
