Gavarone and Swearingen Applaud the Signing of House Bill 7
The bill improves Ohio's water quality and sustainability
January 6, 2021
Theresa Gavarone News
COLUMBUS—The Governor today signed House Bill 7, legislation championed by State Senator Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) and State Representative D.J. Swearingen (R-Huron). The bill establishes a statewide watershed planning and management program to coordinate and build upon the shared efforts of state and local partners to improve water quality throughout Ohio.
"I am so pleased this legislation became law today. Lake Erie is a vital resource, not only for Northern Ohio, but the entire state," said Gavarone. "A huge thank you to my Senate and House colleagues, the Governor, the environmental groups and the agriculture community for their collaborative effort to help protect the Lake and improve water in Ohio."
“HB 7 will help to make great strides for water quality in Ohio," said Swearingen. "It will also help to preserve Lake Erie for future generations, which is so vital to our local economy and quality of life in the 89th House district.”
This new law establishes a program that is designed to fit the unique water quality needs throughout the state. Under the direction of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, each region will be assigned a watershed planning and management coordinator that will identify sources and areas of water quality impairment, which includes loading of phosphorous, dissolved reactive phosphorous and nitrogen.
Those groups include the Ohio Environmental Council, the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Ohio AgriBusiness Association, the National Center for Water Quality Research at Heidelberg University, The Nature Conservancy and various agricultural commodity groups.
The program will help coordinate the many organizations who are working with local watershed professionals on management issues. The legislation allows for soil testing data and nutrient placement best practices to be collected in a centralized database under ODA and used to assist participants across the state.
Additionally, the bill establishes a pilot program administered by the Ohio Department of Agriculture in consultation with the Lake Erie Commission and the Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission that assists farmers, agricultural retailers and soil and water conservation districts in reducing phosphorus in distressed watersheds. To learn more about House Bill 7, click here.
Those groups include the Ohio Environmental Council, the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Ohio AgriBusiness Association, the National Center for Water Quality Research at Heidelberg University, The Nature Conservancy and various agricultural commodity groups.
The program will help coordinate the many organizations who are working with local watershed professionals on management issues. The legislation allows for soil testing data and nutrient placement best practices to be collected in a centralized database under ODA and used to assist participants across the state.
Additionally, the bill establishes a pilot program administered by the Ohio Department of Agriculture in consultation with the Lake Erie Commission and the Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission that assists farmers, agricultural retailers and soil and water conservation districts in reducing phosphorus in distressed watersheds. To learn more about House Bill 7, click here.