Ohio to consider limits on using Lake Erie water

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COLUMBUS -- The water wars are about to begin as Ohio seeks to balance protection of Lake Erie from raids from parched portions of the nation while still allowing local businesses to take full advantage of the valuable freshwater resource.

Industrial, chemical, mining, and other business interests Thursday fired the first volley with the introduction of bills in both the House and Senate to spell out how Ohio would operate under the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact that was ratified by eight states, two Canadian provinces, and Congress.

The bills would set thresholds for withdrawals in the Lake Erie watershed covering about a third of Ohio that environmental groups contend could endanger lake levels.

Supporters of the bills say the state must act by Dec. 8, 2013, or risk the triggering of an automatic fallback threshold that would limit water withdrawals to 100,000 gallons a day per user.

"Clearly, I am about making sure this state has an environment that is good for job opportunities. I will never be ashamed of that …," said Rep. Lynn Wachtmann (R., Napoleon), sponsor of the House bill.

The bill is backed by the Coalition for Sustainable Water Management, which consists of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, manufacturers, chemical and technology companies, the petroleum industry, quarries, and soft drink makers.

There are no limits now on water taken from the lake, but users must register with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources if they use at least 2 million gallons a day.

At least 575 businesses, public water authorities, farmers, and others draw water from the basin.

The bill proposes limits on average daily withdrawals from the watershed -- 5 million gallons if taken directly from the lake, 2 million if taken from groundwater or other inland sources within the watershed, and 300,000 if taken from streams that are deemed to be high quality.

The coalition's Brian Barger said a 5 million-a-day limit "would have no impact whatsoever with respect to Lake Erie."

But Kristy Meyer, of the Ohio Environmental Council, disagreed. Environmental groups plan to push a bill that would set lower limits that have yet to be identified.

"The [business-backed] numbers are based on arbitrary numbers," she said. "Scientists are telling us that the numbers they're proposing will draw down the waters and start harming the Ohio Lake Erie basin."

She said that could lead to more algae blooms and risk lake tourism.

"They're talking about job creation," Ms. Meyer said. "We're talking about sustaining jobs as well. We shouldn't take from Paul to give to Peter."

The business-backed bill provides no fail-safe that would automatically impose conservation on those drawing water from the lake should drought or other conditions significantly lower water levels. Sen. Tim Grendell (R., Chesterland), sponsor of the chamber-backed bill in the Senate, said the General Assembly could deal with such an unlikely emergency should it occur.

Ms. Meyer said the environmental groups' bill will include a threshold at which the state could step in to protect water levels.

Mr. Grendell took aim at Michigan, whose current water-withdrawal limits are much lower than those proposed in Senate Bill 170. He said the state was hampering jobs.

But Ms. Meyer said Michigan's thresholds have not led to businesses being turned away.

Contact Jim Provance at: jprovance@theblade.com or 614-221-0496.