For all Ohio, Algal Blooms and Legislation

By Tim Langer, David Ernes and Richard D. Gainar, CEBS – Lake Management Committee

If you have seen the news articles and reports about the severity of algal blooms in Lake Erie and their predictions, you can imagine how much attention this topic is getting at the State and Federal level. As your Lake Management Committee has mentioned before, most of the regulations and training are focused for Northwest Ohio and those watersheds feeding Lake Erie’s Western Basin. Within the past six (6) months both the Ohio Senate and Ohio House of Representatives have passed legislation, Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 61 respectively. Unfortunately, both are aimed at the Western Basin watersheds.

Why does it have to be only Northwestern Ohio? It doesn’t! A way to influence and express your viewpoint is to contact those individuals we elected. If you think elected officials pay little or no attention to your letters and phone calls, think again. A concise, thoughtful letter from their constituents has a significant influence on elected lawmakers. Your vote helps elect them — or not — and that fact alone carries a lot of weight. A staff worker may read and answer your letter because hundreds of letters are sometimes received. But, be assured that your point is communicated and will influence the lawmaker. If you fail to make your interests known, your thoughts will not be represented.

We need to suggest to our Legislators that the current legislation and future legislation be modified to include all watersheds that feed Lake Erie, including ours. Therefore, the LMC asks that you help us and write to your state representatives and ask that they consider this change. A few suggestions for content are shown below.

• The intent is to improve water quality in Lake Erie, but current legislation ignores most of the Ohio coastline. All watersheds, which feed the lake, can affect the overall Lake Erie water quality.
• As a resident of Ohio’s largest private lake, we would also like to insure that the water quality is protected where we live. Our community is actively addressing fertilizers and cleaners that we control. We cannot affect the farming practices, which have the greatest effect on our lake.
• Although the blooms are currently worse on the western basin, that does not mean that, with time, the problem can extend to the rest of the lake, especially if nothing is done in the central or eastern watersheds.

What to write a letter? We are here to help! It’s usually best to send letters to your state representatives for local issues such as improving water quality. Our Ohio District 99 House representative and Ohio District 32 Senate representatives are:

Your letter does not have to be long or eloquent. It also helps personalize your letter by providing some non-emotional detail and facts in your own words. If certain legislation is involved, cite the title or number whenever possible and explain how it affects you and others. Be sure to include your name and address. Keep it short and simple and include evidence to support your position. Close by requesting the action you want taken: a vote for or against a bill, or change in general policy. Don’t forget to thank them for taking time to read your letter.

Here is an example.

Questions? Please email myself at: timattheshores@gmail.com. It’s believed your letters in support of keeping nutrients and sediment in the fields and not in our waterways will have a significant benefit for Lake Roaming Rock. If you agree with us, pick up a pen. For the price of a postage stamp, you can affect our future.

BE LAKE RESPONSIBLE