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Clean Water News
For Immediate Release:
2007-10-10
For More Information:
Contact Jeff McCourt (614) 460-8732 jmccourt@environmentohio.org PRESS RELEASE - Hundreds of Ohio Facilities Exceed Water Pollution Limits
Environment Ohio calls on Ohio’s
leaders to pass HB 235 and the Clean Water Restoration
Act Columbus, Ohio — More than 74% percent of Ohio’s major facilities exceeded the allowable pollution limits established in their Clean Water Act permits in 2005, according to Troubled Waters: An analysis of Clean Water Act compliance, a new report released today by Environment Ohio. “Ohioans deserve clean waterways that are safe for drinking water and recreation,” said Amy Gomberg, Environmental Advocate with Environment Ohio. “Today, we are calling on Ohio’s leaders uphold the Clean Water Act by cracking down on companies whose water pollution has exceeded their permits and by ensuring that Ohioans have the information they need to protect their health and of the health of their families.” The goals of the 1972 Clean Water Act are to eliminate the discharge of pollutants into waterways and make all U.S. waterways swimmable and fishable. Thirty-five years after the passage of this landmark environmental law, water quality has significantly improved, however, the original goals of the Clean Water Act have yet to be met. Using the Freedom of Information Act, Environment Ohio obtained data on facilities’ compliance with the Clean Water Act between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2005. Environment Ohio researchers found that: • The pollutants being discharged into Ohio waterways include sewage, cyanide, copper, oil, mercury and other heavy metals. • Ohio is ranked the #1 polluter in the country, with over 1,795 exceedances of Clean Water Act permits in 2005 from 217 unique facilities. • 74% percent of Ohio’s permitted industrial and municipal facilities exceeded their Clean Water Act permits at least once in 2005. • On average, Ohio facilities exceeding their Clean Water Act permits did so by 155%, or 2.5 times the legal limit. • Polluters in Ohio reported 118 instances in which they exceeded their Clean Water Act permit by at least 500 percent over the legal limit. “By design, the Clean Water Act and the permitting process are in place to protect public and ecological health” stated The Ohio State University's Chair of the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Tim Buckley. “The violations documented in this report are an affront to public health. The cost of these violations is measured in human illness including cancer, neurological, and reproductive disorders.”
State Action: The Ohio House of Representatives is considering House Bill 235 (R-Oelslager) which requires sewage facilities to report all sewage overflow events to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the public. Currently, Ohio law does not specify how and when polluters should report their sewage pollution, and Ohioans have little way of knowing whether or not a waterway is safe for recreational purposes. “As an avid fisherman who frequents many of Ohio’s waterways, it’s extremely concerning to me that I have fished in and consumed fish from waterways that are regularly polluted with untreated waste,” stated Brandon Smith the Vice President of the Ohio Game Fishing organization. Environment Ohio commended Representative Oelslager (R-51), and the 19 other state legislators for sponsoring HB 235, and urged the House of Representatives to vote to pass this public health bill. “Facilities in Ohio and across the country continue to dump more pollution into our waterways than is allowed by law,” said Gomberg. “House Bill 235 will at least give Ohioans the right to know when they can avoid this significant health threat.” In addition, Environment Ohio called on Ohio’s leaders to crack down on repeat polluters by instituting mandatory fines.
Federal Action: Over the last six years, the Bush administration has proposed or enacted numerous policies that weaken the Clean Water Act. These include: two separate policies that eliminate Clean Water Act protections for streams and wetlands that feed into and clean treasured lakes, rivers and bays; funding cuts to EPA’s budget, including significant cuts to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund; and policies that allow more sewage pollution into waterways. This fall, Congress is considering the Clean Water Restoration Act, legislation to ensure all U.S. waterways are protected by the Clean Water Act. “Environment Ohio urges Congressmen Space and LaTourette, key members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, to mark the anniversary of the Clean Water Act by joining the 172 cosponsors of the Clean Water Restoration Act,” said Gomberg. “We applaud Congressmen Ryan and Kucinich, and Congresswomen Kaptur and Sutton for sponsoring the bill. We hope that all the members in Ohio’s congressional delegation will support this important clean water bill.”
### Environment Ohio is a non profit, non partisan,
environmental advocacy organization.
Tim Buckley, Ph.D.,
Associate Professor and Chair of the Division of Environmental Health Sciences.
Phone: (614) 293-7161 Brandon Smith
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