Representatives Tim Ryan, David Joyce and Marcy Kaptur yesterday introduced bipartisan legislation to require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to appoint a coordinator to address the issue of harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes, which affected over a half million Ohioans last year.
This legislation will ensure that there is a coordinator at the EPA to work with the appropriate federal agencies and state, local, tribal and foreign governments to address this critical issue affecting the state of Ohio.
The legislation has been endorsed by the Ohio Environmental Council, Freshwater Future, the Alliance for the Great Lakes, the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, and the Ohio Charter Boat Association.
“ Harmful algal blooms threaten the economy and quality of life for communities across the Great Lakes region. The Alliance for the Great Lakes appreciates the bi-partisan efforts of Rep. Tim Ryan, Rep. David Joyce, and Rep. Marcy Kaptur to ensure that government agencies are coordinating to address this critical issue ,” said Molly M. Flanagan, Vice President of Policy at the Alliance for the Great Lakes.
“This position is the missing piece that is needed in the Great Lakes to coordinate the efforts being undertaken in the western Lake Erie basin, including ensuring the coordination and collating of monitoring data ,” said Paul Pacholski, President of the Ohio Charter Boat Association.