The Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund’s President, Heather Taylor-Miesle, issued the following statement today in response to Governor Kasich’s State of the State address from Sandusky, OH.
"Tonight, we heard Governor Kasich start his State of the State address by recalling childhood memories on the majestic Lake Erie. He nodded to the state’s new Sandusky Bay Initiative, which is an innovative local solution to help clean up our Great Lake. With the Lake as the backdrop, there was no better time or place to place conservation and public health issues center stage.
“Under Gov. Kasich’s leadership, Ohio has made strides to protect and restore Lake Erie, but Ohio has yet to take the bold action needed to end Lake Erie’s toxic algae plague. I call on Governor Kasich to urge state lawmakers to get serious about curbing agricultural runoff pollution. Pollution from industrial farms is the leading cause of toxic algae. We know the problem. Our leaders must step up to fix it.
“At the federal level, President Donald Trump has proposed an EPA budget that completely eliminates Great Lakes restoration and protection funding. The OEC Action Fund, and the Ohioans who depend on Lake Erie for drinking water and jobs call on the Governor to end these draconian cuts.
“Missing entirely from the Governor’s speech was any discussion of clean energy jobs. Gov. Kasich has been a champion for Ohio’s clean energy industry in the past, and has pledged to veto any attempts to repeal Ohio’s successful clean energy standards. With the Ohio House of Representatives’ recent passage of HB114, another attempt to gut Ohio’s clean energy progress, we need to hear where the Governor stands. If Gov. Kasich truly wants to see a diversified economy for the state, Ohio must put its open for business sign up for clean energy. "