"Kasich Administration Declares Lake Erie Open Waters As Impaired"

"The Kasich administration — after years of resistance on behalf of agriculture — announced Thursday it will declare the open waters of western Lake Erie as impaired, marking a reversal on what has arguably been northwest Ohio’s most contentious water-policy issue.

Although details of the impairment designation are still to be worked out, it will invariably mean tighter rules for agriculture and others that release nutrients into western Lake Erie tributaries.

“This decision that took massive public insistence and a federal court suit is way overdue, but let's get down to work now,” said Mike Ferner, founder of Advocates for a Clean Lake Erie, a Toledo-based citizens group that lobbied heavily for the impairment designation. “An impaired designation kicks off a process under the Clean Water Act that includes finding out exactly who the polluters are and the amounts from each. It must be completely transparent, with public involvement every step of the way. ACLE will be vigilant to see that this declaration actually means something.”"

Tom Henry reports for the Toledo Blade March 22, 2018.