In case you haven’t been convinced by our blogs on how the fiscal cliff would harm Wildlife Refuges, public lands, hunting and fishing, and wetlands, among other programs, take a look at this infographic on how badly the fiscal cliff could harm just one state: Ohio, home to much of the fragile Great Lakes region.

For NWF’s latest fiscal cliff materials, see NWF.org/FiscalCliff.

Don’t let our budget crisis hurt the Great Lakes! Do your part today to protect our wildlife and natural resources.

Falls on the South Chagrin Reservation, Ohio

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Author after a great day on Lake Erie

This bill leaves Lake Erie, its rivers and world-class steelhead and walleye fisheries vulnerable.

Governor Kasich and the Ohio state legislature are not living up to their obligations under the Compact. As Ohio’s neighbors take steps to implement water protections, Ohio has gone in the other direction.

What is really troubling with this new law:  if the Ohio Department of Natural Resources issues a permit that would cause significant harm to a river or stream, hunters and anglers and the public have no say and cant challenge this decision.  Only if you own property along the Lake and/or river, or have a direct economic interest, can you appeal a decision. 

This is a step back to the midieval European method of conservation, where people had no voice and all fish and wildlife belonged to the King – and no one hunted or fished without the King’s permission.

The battle for Lake Erie is not over.  We are currently assessing our next steps to ensure that Lake Erie is protected for future generations and provides a sustainable source of fresh water not only for people and wildlife, but the businesses and industries that rely upon it.

The Battle for Lake Erie - by William Henry Powell

Some 200 years later – the new front for the battle of Lake Erie is now in the Ohio General Assembly.

Yesterday, the Ohio House passed a bill House Bill 473 that leaves Lake Erie and its tributaries unprotected and blocks the rights of Ohio’s hunters and anglers to use Lake Erie

HB 473 is legislation to implement the Great Lakes Compact.

Lake Erie is Worth Fighting For

Just like in 1812 – Ohio is blessed to have Lake Erie.  It supplies the state with more than $10 billion in economic revenue each year and more than a quarter of a million jobs resulting from recreational and commercial fishing, hunting, wildlife watching, tourism and travel.

Its tributaries, such as the Grand, Vermillion and the Chagrin, provide world class steelhead fishing opportunities and is commonly referred to as ‘steelhead alley’.  Other tributaries, such as the Maumee River,  are also the spawning grounds for walleye and smallmouth bass.  It also supplies drinking water to 11 million people across the area, 3 million of whom live in Ohio.

In other words, Lake Erie and its tributaries truly make Ohio special – and deserve protection.

House Bill 473 is the second attempt to pass legislation to implement the Great Lakes

Smallmouth Bass caught by author on Lake Erie

Lake Erie Tributaries Left Unprotected

HB 473 restricts the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to only assess the impact of water withdrawals on Lake Erie – not the source of the withdrawal.  Not only does this conflict with the Great Lakes Compact – which includes a preference for direct tributaries – it defies science and common sense.  How are we to know the real impact of a water withdrawal if you don’t analyze its impact to the source of the withdrawal?

No doubt this will have dramatic impacts on ‘steelhead alley’ and potentially add to the growing problem of algal blooms in the western basin of Lake Erie.

Blocks Hunters and Anglers Rights to Lake Erie

The Great Lakes Compact states that any “Person aggrieved by a Party action shall be entitled to a hearing” in accordance with each state’s administrative procedures and laws.  It further provides that, “after exhaustion of such administration remedies…any aggrieved Person shall have the right to judicial review of a Party’s action in the relevant Party’s court of competent jurisdiction.”

Yet, House Bill 473 changes the definition of ‘aggrieved persons’ by limiting it to those who were issued a permit, or those who have a direct economic or property interest impacted by a withdrawal.  This narrow definition of aggrieved person would take a step backward and essentially eliminate Ohio’s citizen’s rights to enjoy and recreate in Ohio’s Lake Erie Basin.

“Dont Give Up the Ship!”

Back in 1812, America and the people of Ohio recognized Lake Erie was certainly worth fighting for.  We must not forget the famous dying command of American Naval Officer, Captain James Lawrence, during the War of 1812, “don’t give up the ship!”

Today, we must remain vigilant and continue to fight for Lake Erie. As this bill moves forward, it is our hope the Ohio Senate and Governor Kasich will remember the rally cry of Captain Lawrence and honestly evaluate whether or not this bill is consistent with the Great Lakes Compact and protects Lake Erie.

The current Battle for Lake Erie is vital to the health of Ohio’s wildlife and economy. 

Natural Gas Drilling (Photo: Helen Slottje)

After the latest quake, a magnitude 4.0 on New Year’s Eve, five wastewater injection wells were shut down including an active injection site in Youngstown, Ohio just 100 meters away from the large tremor.

“While we couldn’t say for sure that there’s a direct causation between the injection well and the earthquakes, we thought it better to be overly cautious,” Andy Ware, deputy director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, said.

The wastewater pumped into these wells is a by-product of hydraulic fracturing or “fracking”, a process that involves forcing water mixed with sand and other chemicals  underground, which breaks up rock and frees the natural gasses trapped underneath.

Fracking companies are adamant that the earthquakes are not directly related to the drilling itself and drilling should not be affected by these new earthquakes. However, the earthquakes strengthen concerns that there is no safe way to dispose of the fracking waste products.

Thankfully no wildlife or people have been reported hurt in the earthquakes that have occurred so far, but this underscores the risk of fracking to our waters and people. 

The recent earthquakes in Ohio near hydraulic fracturing sites should serve as a wakeup call to citizens and lawmakers alike that wildlife and humans are affected by fracking through damaged habitats and toxic waste. Stronger protections are needed against harm caused by oil and gas development.

It is our job to be the voice for wildlife as well as ourselves. Something needs to be done to increase the regulation of these dangers caused by fracking, and for that to happen citizens need to speak up, contact their representatives, and stay informed.

Take action. Tell Congress to protect our nation’s water and wildlife from the dangerous impacts of hydraulic fracturing.

Post was written by Tracy Sabetta, pictured here with her daughter. Tracy leads the outreach to NWF supporters in Ohio. You can reach her at tsabetta@initiativeohio.com.

You know what they say about the best laid plans, right?

Conservation leaders and outdoor enthusiasts decided to bring our case proposals to drill for oil and natural gas in Ohio state parks to the people’s house yesterday.

We were well-prepared to stage a “camp in” on the lawn of the Ohio Statehouse to send a clear message to lawmakers:  If drilling is going to keep us from camping in our state parks, then we will have to camp right here in your front yard.

Ohio citizens gather at the State Capitol to oppose drilling in state parks

Then the skies opened up, and the rain poured down…and poured down…and poured down.
Concerns about muddy conditions on the lawn forced our campers inside, but did not dampen our spirits.

The, “We Love Our Parks, We Love Clean Water,” event was still a  great success.  Volunteers from across Ohio crowded into the basement of the Ohio Statehouse with their fishing poles, picnic baskets and lawn chairs, and proceeded to camp in one of the busiest areas of state government.

Staff and volunteers circulated petitions and distributed information to everyone who walked through the area, including nearly every member of the committee currently hearing the bill in the House of Representatives.  Campers spread blankets on the floor of the Statehouse and opened their sack lunches—inviting the legislators to join them!

The event was capped off with a rousing press conference where legislators were offered a second opportunity to publicly declare which state parks, state nature preserves, and state scenic rivers in their local legislative district they would vote to keep closed from oil and gas drilling or would vote to “convert from natural parks to industrial parks” and open up to extraction.

“As a state legislator, I understand that it is my duty to protect the health and welfare of the people of Ohio,” said State Representative Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo).  “With so many uncertainties facing us with these drilling proposals, we’re going to have to have answers before we open up and really put the future of our state parks at risk.  Eleven million Ohioans expect their parks to remain pristine, gorgeous, protected.”

Speakers at the press conference included the Ohio Environmental Council, Ohio League of Women Voters, Ohio Interfaith Power and Light, and seven legislators opposed to drilling.  Media coverage has been great with three TV stations, two radio stations, and six newspapers reporting on the event.  Even the lobbying from the Ohio Oil and Gas Association watched from the background!

Now, it is crunch time.  The bill is slated to be voted out of committee on Tuesday of next week, and the full House will cast their votes on Wednesday.  Drilling opponents are ready—we are hitting the telephones and working hard to keep this issue in the media.

So while we did not get to pitch our tents on the Statehouse lawn as expected, we did make the best of a soggy day to tell our legislators that their drilling proposals are all wet!

To see press coverage of the event, click here!

Columbus Statehouse | flickr / radsu

Spring has finally arrived in Ohio! What a beautiful time to get outside again, work in the garden, walk in the woods, and enjoy the treasure of natural resources Ohio has to offer. We really are very fortunate in our state to have such a wide array of state parks, wildlife preservers, and scenic rivers to enjoy close to home.

Please join me on Tuesday, May 17th. We will be celebrating “We Love Our Parks, We Love Clean Water Day” on the lawn of the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus from 10am -4pm.

I have spent the last few months, as I’m sure you have, ready to toss the jacket aside and feel some grass between my toes. One of my favorite things to do every spring is to hike at Hocking Hills State Park and Old Man’s Caves. Now, I take my 12-year old daughter with me and I feel like I get to see it all again for the first time.

What is really upsetting to me is that there are very serious efforts in the state legislature right now to strip away some of the natural beauty we have all been waiting to enjoy. As you may have heard, there is language in the state budget bill being debated right now that would open up our state parks, nature preserves, and other protected lands to oil and natural gas drilling.

Fish, wildlife, and water resources found on Ohio’s state parks and preserves are extremely valuable, and are growing more so each day as private lands become developed. As hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts, National Wildlife Federation members know that protecting wildlife habitat is crucial to maintaining wildlife populations that sustain hunting and fishing activities.

In fact, those of us who enjoy the outdoors contribute in excess of $10 billion to conservation through excise tax and licensing revenue, which provides 80% of the funding to most state fish and wildlife agencies each year. We have a vested interest in keeping our parks system strong.

That is why it is so important that we attend “We Love Our Parks, We Love Clean Water Day” on the lawn of the Ohio Statehouse from 10am-4pm on Tuesday, May 17th. If you can join us, please email me at tsabetta@initiativeohio.com.

As funding cuts and gas drilling threaten our parks, show Ohio leaders that you care about our natural treasures by enjoying the outdoors at the “people’s house.” Bring blankets, friends, and recreational equipment like Frisbees, footballs, and more! The event will feature a picnic, games, information booths, a press conference with some of our legislative champions, music, and much more. Rain or shine — so bring your ponchos!

Joan Picone gives a presentation on the history of the Clean Air Act at Stark State College, Ohio

Why would Congress seek to weaken the Clean Air Act?  Do Members of Congress really believe we have too much clean air?  These were some of the questions asked by concerned citizens last night at the National Wildlife Federation’s Clean Air Act forums in Michigan and Ohio.

Wildlife enthusiasts, public health advocates, small businesses, and community members all gathered to learn about the successful 40 year track record of the Clean Air Act and how they can take action to protect it from attacks in Congress.

Public health experts at the Ohio event discussed the critical role the Clean Air Act plays in protecting communities from air pollution:

“There is a definite correlation between air pollution and serious health problems,” said Dr. William Cutshall of Stark State College Respiratory Care Program.  “Not to mention that the health care costs of air pollution total roughly $50 billion each year in this nation.”

While in Michigan, anglers discussed the importance of the Clean Air Act in reducing mercury contamination in fish:

“The outdoor reaction industry plays such a vital role in Michigan.  Not only in terms of the dollars tourism brings into the state, but also in terms of protecting our hunting and fishing legacy,” commented Dayle Harrison, President of Kalamazoo River Protection Association and lifelong Michigan angler.

In this video, Rob Sisson – President of Republicans for Environmental Protection – welcomes the audience in Kalamazoo, Michigan and explains the important role of the Clean Air Act:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The audience left both events reinvigorated to write letters to the editor, make phone calls, and share the new information with friends and family.

You can help too!  Take action to help protect wildlife and keep the Clean Air Act working for years to come.

Put-In-Bay

Last October, I put the finishing touches on my last salvo ina 6-month legal battle to stop the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from dumping massive amounts of nutrient-laden sediment in Lake Erie in 2010 — up to 800,000 cubic yards of sediment.  
 
I am still waiting for a decision in the case, but however the battle ends, the war will go on. The Corps has recently asked for permission to dump even more sediment in the lake this year, up to 1,600,000 cubic yards!

The problem with dumping the sediment is that it makes the water muddy, which in turn harms fish and other aquatic life.  It also makes boating and other recreation unpleasant, to say the least.  The sediment is also contaminated with phosphorus, which contributes to the proliferation of algal blooms, which can make people sick or even cause death.

In April 2010, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency approved the dredging of the channel leading into Toledo to facilitate shipping.  The agency simultaneously approved dumping the dredged sediment in the open waters of the western basin of Lake Erie even though it admits that the dumping is “not environmentally acceptable to the State of Ohio and needs to be discontinued.” 

In May 2010, I appealed Ohio EPA’s approval of the dumping.  I represented NWF and a few Ohio groups, too, including the Lake Erie Charter Boat Association and the Ohio Environmental Council.

At my request, the appellate body, the Ohio Environmental Review Appeals Commission, or “ERAC,” put the case on a rapid schedule.  As a result, a case that normally would have taken at least a year to process took only half that time.  Over a 6-month period, I found witnesses, prepared the case for trial, participated in a 3-day hearing involving seven witnesses, and wrote two post-trial briefs.  Needless to say, I felt like I was in a whirlwind. 

I cannot say when ERAC will issue its decision. Whatever it decides, one side or the other may appeal the decision to the Ohio courts. Stay tuned!

But even if no one appeals, the Corps’ request to repeat its destructive sediment dumping this year means efforts to stop the practice must continue. You have an opportunity to make your voice heard on the Corps’ request at a hearing that will be held by Ohio EPA on March 3, 2011, at 6:30 p.m., at the Toledo City Council chambers, One Government Center, Toledo, Ohio. Please consider attending or submitting written comments!  You may send written comments to Ohio EPA-DSW, Attention: Permits Processing Unit, P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, Ohio, 43216-1049.

The gas leak and resulting fire, which required the mobilization of nearly the entire city’s firefighting force, is generally considered the 20th century’s largest liquid natural gas explosion as well as one of America’s signature industrial disasters. It started at a three-year-old tank farm owned by East Ohio Gas, which now does business as Dominion East Ohio.

Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, via Case Western Reserve University:

At approx. 2:30 P.M., white vapor began leaking out of Storage Tank No. 4, which had been built by the East Ohio Gas Co. in 1942 to provide additional reserve gas for local war industries. The gas in the tank, located at the northern end of E. 61st St., became combustible when mixed with air and exploded at 2:40 P.M., followed by the explosion of a second tank about 20 minutes later. The fire spread through 20 blocks, engulfing rows of houses while missing others. The vaporizing gas also flowed along the curbs and gutters and into catch basins, through which it entered the underground sewers, exploding from time to time, ripping up pavement, damaging underground utility installations, and blowing out manhole covers. The immediate area surrounding the burning district was evacuated and refugees were sheltered in Willson Jr. High School on E. 55th St. where the Red Cross tried to care for approx. 680 homeless victims.

History.com:

[At 2:40 P.M.] a massive and violent explosion rocked the entire area. Flames went as high as 2,500 feet in the air. Everything in a half-mile vicinity of the explosion was completely destroyed.

Ohio History Central:

The death toll may have been even higher if schools were not still in session, keeping many children away from the heart of the explosion. Numerous homes and businesses were entirely destroyed over several city blocks. To store more natural gas in the tanks, the East Ohio Gas Co. had liquefied the gas. The liquid gas seeped into the city’s sewer system [...] creating a fireball underground that ignited numerous homes and businesses. The fireball supposedly was more than three thousand degrees Fahrenheit in temperature. Soon other storage tanks at the East Ohio Gas Co. exploded. Cleveland residents could see the resulting fireballs from at least seven miles away and the smoke from an even greater distance. As the tanks ignited, windows broke more than one mile away, and the bells of St. Vitus Church began to ring.

NWF’s recent report on oil and gas disasters may have served as an eye-opener about the recent safety missteps and outright negligence of the oil and gas industry, but communities have been suffering for a long time as a result of dirty energy malfeasance. The 1944 East Ohio Gas explosion was one early  example.

Significant Natural Gas Distribution Incidents: geocoded from 2010-02-17 PHMSA Pipeline Safety – Flagged Incidents.zip at http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/comm/reports/safety/SIDA.html (from Assault on America: A Decade of Petroleum Company Disaster, Pollution, and Profit)

As seen in Assault on America: A Decade of Petroleum Company Disaster, Pollution, and Profit, a far-from exhaustive survey of recent spills, leaks, fires, and other disasters,  Ohio has suffered 74 natural gas and fuel pipeline incidents in the last decade alone, making it the eighth hardest-hit state nationally (see PDF map here; note the brown dots). Those accidents killed six people, racking up some $36.5 million in damages.

On the anniversary of a still-vivid tragedy, we would do well to take another look at the societal and environmental costs of oil and gas industry negligence—indeed, to reevaluate our very dependence on that industry.