Ohio EPA announces website for algae bloom notification

Environmental Protection Agency -- Ohioans can now access real-time data on recreational use advisories for harmful algal blooms at state park beaches and drinking water public notices through a new OEPA web-based map application.  According to agency officials the new website boasts interactive geospatial content for users, allowing them to better understand current advisories and HAB sampling data. It includes a color-coded look at the entire state which citizens can use to access additional information.  OEPA worked with the State of Ohio Geographic Information System Office in developing this application and plans to add additional interactive GIS maps on other environmental topics.
http://wwwapp.epa.ohio.gov/gis/mapportal/hab.html

OSU Sustainable Agriculture Team tours begin June 21st

Those interested in learning more about how sustainable agriculture in Ohio works will have several opportunities as Ohio State University’s Sustainable Agriculture Team hosts tours this summer.
Read more about the tour stops here:
http://ocj.com/2013/05/osu-sustainable-agriculture-team-tours/

Panel Focuses On Lake Erie Algal Blooms; Stakeholders Call For More Research, Monitoring Funds

As summer approaches and thousands of Ohioans are expected to visit Lake Erie for boating and other recreational activities, environmental, conservation, education and other officials briefed senators Wednesday on the current state of algal blooms in the great lake.  Addressing the Senate General Government Finance Subcommittee as part of a panel, representatives from the Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio State University Extension and Sea Grant and Stone Lab discussed the history of the algae problem, efforts currently underway and potential future changes.  They also stressed that stakeholders and the related agencies have reached an unprecedented point of communication, data sharing and collaboration on the issue.
Subcommittee Chairman Sen. Bob Peterson praised the collaboration and said witness recommendations to boost funding for enhanced monitoring efforts is something that needs to be looked at and "has great value."  "What I heard today is that there's a tremendous amount of monitoring already being done. Now there's always stuff more we could and should do if money becomes available and that's the challenge for us in the Finance Committee - balancing that budget," he said in an interview.

Prior to panel testimony, Sen. Randy Gardner said he hopes the subcommittee "will conclude that Ohio is beginning to move in the right direction to protect Lake Erie but that much work remains to be done."  Mr. Gardner stressed that additional funds will be necessary to help, adding that it's not about how much the state spends, but rather how it can effectively use dollars to address this problem. He told lawmakers the issue is not about just about agriculture and will take a lot of effort to bring a lot of people together.   "Let me also assert that we must engage in a multi-faceted strategy that will include the agricultural community, residential and commercial lands, municipal systems, dredging practices and cooperation from our friends from that 'state up north,'" he said in a statement. "In this spirit, clearly we can and must maintain a strong agricultural economy while working to clean up Lake Erie. We can do both."

According to Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab Director Jeff Reutter, Lake Erie's shallow depth and southern location in relation to the other Great Lakes make it an attractive location for the nuisance and dangerous algal blooms.  For decades, he said, the lake has struggled with the issue with things coming to a head in the '60s and '70s before water quality standards and monitoring were put into place. Despite drops in algal blooms in the aftermath of the regulations, its prevalence has gone up particularly over the past decade, Mr. Reutter said.   The source of today's algae can be partially attributed to phosphorus from sewage treatment plants, lawn fertilizer runoff, water treatment plans, agriculture and septic tanks, he offered, as well as climate change and an increased frequency in severe storms.  Mr. Reutter said he expects improvement in the lake because of phosphorus removal from over-the-counter fertilizer, a majority of farmers accepting partial responsibility for the issue and farm bureau support for phosphorus reduction, as well as other factors.

In order to address the current algal bloom problem, Brian Hall of OEPA, told lawmakers that the state "will need to make some significant changes" in terms of agricultural management and nutrient removal technologies.  Mr. Hall pointed to six strategy recommendations that are being finalized in OEPA's Ohio Nutrient Reduction Strategy as potential ways to address the issue. They include: focusing nutrient reduction efforts on specific watersheds; establishing stream load reduction goals; ensuring that point source and nonpoint source reductions are effective; gauging the effectiveness of reductions; reporting activities to the public and creating nutrient water quality criteria.

ODNR's Karl Gebhardt added that his department, along with OEPA and the U.S. Geological Survey, are proposing to install an expanded water quality monitoring program for the Maumee Watershed with the remaining $550,000 Health Lake Erie Fund appropriation.  This installation, combined with research and monitoring efforts Heidelberg University and Ohio State University have undertaken, would allow Ohio to better document and manage the relationship between agricultural nutrient management and the water quality in the Maumee River and Lake Erie, the witness said.  "We can ensure Ohio tax dollars are being spent wisely to improve water quality," he stressed. "That is a benefit for everyone."  Aside from this, Mr. Gebhardt said ODNR and the Department of Agriculture plan to work with lawmakers on a new bill that would put other Agricultural Nutrient and Water Quality Working Group recommendations into place that promote "effective yet non-burdensome initiatives to help address nutrient issues for agriculture."  "Together, we will provide the non-agricultural community with the confidence that water quality in Lake Erie or anywhere in Ohio is being taken seriously by all of us that are entrusted with the stewardship of Ohio's natural resources and viability of Ohio's agriculture," he added.

Meanwhile, Greg LaBarge, of OSU Extension, said he is "confident" that farmers and the agricultural industry understand the issue regarding nutrient losses that occur during agricultural production and the impact it has on water quality.  He continued that Ohio farmers are using best management practices, including soil testing, but that the state needs to provide them "with other solutions that fit the site-specific needs of individual fields at the highest risk of contribution."

Sen. John Eklund asked whether a change in agricultural practices is being considered. Both Mr. Reutter and Mr. Gebhardt acknowledged that it is something they're examining, but added that they're "not entirely sure" as to what the best and proper practices would be.  "The challenge we have is we can't sit around and wait for 15 years for data, so by continuing with research and then implementing the practices we've done in at least five counties already, we feel they're the best available at this point in time."

Looking at the overlap of water sources to Lake Erie among various states, Sen. Tim Schaffer, meanwhile, asked panel members what role other states, like Indiana, have played in water quality assurance efforts.  According to Mr. Gebhardt, Ohio has been collaborating with Indiana and Michigan on the issue, as well as working with regional partners, on collecting information on nutrient loads entering the lake.

In response to Sen. Eklund's question regarding global efforts to address this issue, Mr. Reutter added that his lab has been looking at research being done in the US, primarily, as it leads the world on this front.  "The most important point here is that our problem in Ohio, we're the poster child for this problem in the U.S.," he said. "You don't find other watershed the size of the Great Lakes having the same problems."

Mr. Hall, responding to Sen. Jon Schiavoni, added that OEPA is responsible for developing water quality standards and reporting them to federal officials. He said, however, that the relationship between the agency and ODNR has never "been better."

Kasich Signs Bill Making Adena Pipe Official State Artifact

Gov. John Kasich signed a student-backed bill into law to designate the more than 2,000-year-old Adena Pipe as Ohio's official state artifact.  Joined at the bill signing by fourth, fifth and seventh grade students from the Columbus School for Girls who worked on the legislation, Gov. Kasich praised the girls' tenacious efforts.
"The lesson here is that your classmates were persistent in getting this done. Then you came here and were so knowledgeable and you so impressed the members of the legislature that there was no way they could resist making this the state artifact," the governor said. "Now I want to see if I can include you in helping me pass Ohio's severance tax and my Medicaid expansion."   According to the students, other lessons to take away from the legislative process include: the need to be "very, very, very patient," sometimes things happen at the "last second" and that "some people speak longer than they're supposed to."

Columbus School for Girls teachers Tracy Kessler and Charlotte Stiverson, who spearheaded the effort, said students have been working on a state artifact project over the course of three years and chose the Adena Effigy Pipe to honor Ohio's Native American history.   Found on the Chillicothe estate of former governor Thomas Worthington, the pipe is "one of a kind" for its representation of an entire human form, they said.  According to Ms. Kessler and Ms. Stiverson, the project was originally placed on the "backburner," as the legislature was bogged-down in budget debate when the students first sought to introduce the proposal, before it was brought back and introduced by Reps. Duffey and John Carney (D-Columbus) in legislation in April 2012.  The teachers praised Rep. Carney, whose daughter is a student at the Columbus School for Girls, as well as the parents of other students who are lobbyists for bringing the issue to the attention of the legislature.

According to the Ohio Historical Society, which worked with the students on the project, the Adena Pipe represents one of the state's most famous artifacts and "has become a hallmark of the Adena culture."  More on the story at the Ohio Historical Society website here:
http://www.ohiohistory.org/collections--archives/archaeology/adena-pipe

Healthy Foods Legislation Introduced

U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge introduced a bill to support sustainable agriculture activities in American cities while improving access to healthy food for underserved communities.   "This bill encourages Americans to live healthier lives by focusing on locally grown, fresh foods," she said. "It provides incentives for non-traditional farming, which are especially important in urban areas including Cleveland, and gives agricultural entrepreneurs the support they need to grow and build successful enterprises.  "We must do more to improve nutrition for a generation of children, many of whom are estimated to have shorter life expectancies than their parents due to poor health. This comprehensive legislation will allow low-income families and seniors access to healthier foods and improve their diets, relieving some of the stress on our current health care system. With thousands of acres of vacant property due to the foreclosure crisis as well as a recession that hit middle class families hard, this measure also strengthens the ability of cities to convert abandoned properties for agricultural uses and enhance economic recovery in distressed areas."

Ohio EPA Issues Draft Rule for Wetland Mitigation - public comment requested

FOR RELEASE: May 3, 2013
CONTACT: Mary McCarron, (614) 644-2160
Ohio EPA Issues Draft Rule for Wetland Mitigation
Ohio EPA is seeking public comments on a draft rule affecting water quality standards for
wetlands. Public comments on the draft rule are sought through May 17, 2013.
Water quality standards protect Ohio’s lakes, rivers, streams and other surface waters from
pollution. This rulemaking addresses protections put in place for wetlands, setting up water quality
criteria for the Director of Ohio EPA to consider when determining whether a lowering of water
quality in wetlands would be allowed and what mitigations would be appropriate for water quality
impacts.
The changes being considered would implement statutory requirements from Senate Bill 294.
This bill allows a fee to be levied in lieu of requiring traditional permittee wetland mitigation or
purchasing wetland mitigation bank credits for Section 401 water quality certifications and isolated
wetland permits. The rule would set up a defined hierarchy of mitigation preferences when
compensatory mitigation is required. The draft rule would require an applicant to use wetland
mitigation banks first when available, but also would allow the permittee to pay a fee in lieu of
constructing a wetlands mitigation project where wetland mitigation bank credits are not available.
Copies of the draft rules are available from Ohio EPA’s Division of Surface Water by contacting
Melinda Harris at (614) 728-1357. Written comments can be mailed by May 17, to Ohio EPA, Division of Surface Water Rules Coordinator, P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049, or
emailed to dsw_rulecomments@epa.state.oh.us. Questions regarding the rule can be emailed to
Ric Queen or call (614) 644-2872.
Ohio EPA will consider all comments before it formally proposes rule changes. When the rule
is formally proposed, Ohio EPA will hold a public hearing and offer another public comment period
before any changes are adopted.

Ohio Farmers Asked To Help Count Lady Beetles

Buckeye Lady Beetle Blitz is large scale survey to determine how many of the beneficial native beetles still remain in Ohio.
Entomologist Mary Gardiner is recruiting farmers and gardeners to help see how native species of lady beetles are standing up to invasion of exotic lady beetles.
Read rest of article here:

http://farmprogress.com/story-oh-farmers-asked-help-count-lady-beetles-9-97961

Meadowbrook FFA I places 8th in Area III Envirothon Competition

Guernsey Soil & Water Conservation District congratulates Meadowbrook HS FFA for its teams’ participation in the Area III competition, held at Hook Lake in Morgan county this year. Since this was District Technician Jason Tyrell’s first at the Envirothon, he helped out by guiding students to the various testing sites. 

MEADOWBROOK FFA I team members: Kaila Czigans, Morgan Echols, Connor Frame, Levi Lynch, and Erica Showalter.  Congratulations on placing in the top ten!


The Envirothon tests students' knowledge of soils, forestry, wildlife, aquatic ecology and current environmental issues and is designed to encourage interest in the environment and natural resources among high school students. In addition, the Envirothon encourages cooperative decision-making and team building. While each student on an Envirothon team is challenged to contribute his or her personal best, the score that counts at the end of an Envirothon is the team score.

A team consists of five students, all from the same high school. An adult advisor (or advisors) must accompany the team, but is not permitted to assist the team during the competition.

Five area envirothons are conducted around Ohio late each spring. This year, the top four teams from each of these area competitions will progress to the Ohio State Envirothon June 10 & 11 at Deer Creek State Park. The state level Ohio Envirothon is held in a different part of Ohio each year. The top-scoring team in the Ohio Envirothon is eligible to compete in the North American Envirothon, hosted by a different state or Canadian province every year.

In Ohio, the Envirothon Program is sponsored by the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (OFSWCD) in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). The Ohio Envirothon is financed by grants, donations from businesses and through contributions to the Don Rehl Memorial Envirothon Fund. Many local businesses also provide services and products in support of Area and Ohio Envirothons.

MEADOWBROOK FFA 2 team members: Olivia Anderson, Breanna Czigans, Annie Kackley, Peter Novak, and Amber Sills.

GUERNSEY SWCD PROMOTES SOIL AND WATER STEWARDSHIP WEEK

As a part of the Guernsey county community for 71 years, the Guernsey Soil & Water Conservation District wants to remind you that each of us has a connection to natural resources. The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is celebrating the 58th year of Stewardship week April 28 – May 5, 2013. The 2013 Stewardship Week is themed, “Where does your water shed?”

Bill Bertram, Ken Ford, John Enos, Myron Dellinger, and Steve Douglass serve on the supervisory board for the district.  The District was formed to assist people in Guernsey county with the wise use of natural resources for present and future generations.

“Clean water is important to everyone,” says SWD chairman Bill Bertram.  “Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes. They cross county, state and national boundaries. Every inch of the land on planet Earth is part of a watershed.  In the continental U.S., there are 2,100 watersheds; if we include Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico, the count rises to 2,267. No matter where you are right now, you are in a watershed.”

Less than 1-percent of all of the water on our planet is fresh water.  The average citizen in the United States uses 70 gallons of water every day; and this does not include the water it takes to manufacture the automobiles, clothing, and food we depend on each and every day. Take time to learn about your local community water supply sources, and volunteer for river, stream or beach clean-up days.  You can make a difference!

To find out more about your local watershed, including an app for your computer and smart phone, visit: www.epa.gov/mywaterway 

Guernsey SWCD is a member of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) which oversees the Stewardship Week program. Stewardship Week is one of the largest national annual programs to promote conservation. NACD represents the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts, which were established to encourage resource conservation across the country.

Energy Coalition meeting May 2nd at 9AM - topic is compressed natural gas vehicles

The Future of CNG Vehicle Transportation is NOW!

The topic for the May 2^nd Energy Coalition meeting will be, The Future of CNG Vehicle Transportation is NOW!   Please join us at Southgate Hotel from 9:00 am to 10:30 am.  The meeting is hosted by the Chamber of Commerce

The Chamber  will have a panel consisting of four individuals in the Compressed Natural Gas industry who will discuss their various roles and experiences in CNG:

·         Chuck Diehl, Smith Dairy in Orrville, Ohio

o   Managing a 400+ vehicle fleet

o   Smith Dairy Trucking’s CNG 2012 project that led to one of Ohio’s first public CNG heavy truck fuel sites and Smith’s deployment of their first CNG tractors. 

o   Smith’s fuel doctrine will have Smith Dairy Trucking diesel independent by 2030.

·         Keith Walker, Kimble Recycling & Disposal, Inc.

o   In 2011 Kimble built their first CNG fueling stations in Twinsburg, Ohio and purchased its first 36 100% CNG powered residential front lead refuse trucks.

o   In 2012 they replaced almost 400,000 gallons of diesel fuel with natural gas.

o   Currently running 70+ trucks powered by 100% CNG making up 30% of their total fleet

o   Kimble has plans to add CNG fueling infrastructure to switch entire fleet

·         Andrew Conley, Clean Fuels Ohio Program Director

o   Worked with hundreds of fleets across Ohio to develop vehicle and station projects.

o   Conducts fleet emissions and efficiency analyses, draft proposals for funding, and created educational programs for workshops, fuel and technology trainings, and resources.

o   Led CFO’s Ohio Green Fleets program which engages hundreds of fleets in workshops, meetings, and seminars.

o   55 certified Ohio Green fleets have displaced a combined total of 6,580,808 gallons of petroleum.

·         Dave Mrowzinski, IGS Energy CNG Services

o   Compressed Natural Gas Program Manager for IGS Energy CNG Services

o   IGS has over 20 years of experience in the natural gas industry to provide CNG vehicle refueling solutions.

SEE SOMETHING? SAY SOMETHING!

Report suspicious activity.

Call Ohio Homeland Security:

1-877-OHS-INTEL

 1-877-647-4683

For emergency, call 9-1-1.

Do not jeopardize your safety or the safety of others.

Following the events of September 11,  2001, many federal, state, and local agencies  initiated efforts to improve information  sharing and intelligence gathering. Since  that time, all 50 states and over 20 separate  metropolitan areas have established state  or local fusion centers to partner with the  FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTFs)  nationwide.

Fusion centers are uniquely situated to  provide the local implications of national  intelligence to front-line law enforcement,  public safety, emergency response, public  health, infrastructure protection, and private  sector security partners. Fusion centers  also provide interdisciplinary expertise and  situational awareness to decision-makers at  all levels of government. Ohio is fortunate to  have three federally recognized fusion centers  in our state. These centers receive, analyze  and disseminate information from a multitude  of sources in order to prevent terrorism  and other crimes.

The primary statewide  center in Ohio is Ohio Homeland Security’s  Strategic Analysis and Information Center  (SAIC). Additionally, there are two regional  centers: the Northeast Ohio Regional Fusion  Center (NEORFC) and the Regional Information  Operations Center in Hamilton County. These  centers work together to create a streamlined  information sharing system for Ohio’s first responders. In order to be successful, fusion  centers rely on every citizen to report  suspicious activity. 

Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) are  one of our best defenses against terrorist  threats and our greatest resource to building  resilience. Every day, members of the public  work with law enforcement officers to help  keep our communities safe by reporting  activities that are out of the ordinary and  suspicious. It is critical that law enforcement  officers at all levels of government – state,  local, tribal, territorial, and federal – observe  suspicious behaviors or receive reports from  concerned civilians, private security, and  other government agencies. These reports  of suspicious activity play a vital role in  countering terrorism and crime as they  contribute to 9 out of every 10 arrests that  are made.

An aware and engaged public that  understands what constitutes unusual and  suspicious behavior is essential to protecting  our communities from terrorist threats. For  example, maybe you are at a high profile  location or, perhaps a sporting event and you  notice a person nearby taking several photos.  While that is not unusual, you may also notice  that the person is only taking photos of the  locations of surveillance cameras, entrance  crash barriers, and access control procedures. That type of activity would be unusual.

The following are examples of other unusual  activities that should cause a heightened  sense of suspicion:

•             Monitoring personnel or vehicles entering/leaving facilities or parking areas

•             Burns on body, missing finger(s) or hand, bloody clothing, bleached body hair or bright colored stains on clothing; switch or wires concealed in hand, clothing, or backpack

•             Unusual or prolonged interest in the following: security measures or personnel;  security cameras; entry points and access  controls; perimeter barriers (fences/walls); unattended train or bus

•             Purposely placing objects (e.g., packages,  luggage, vehicles) in sensitive or vulnerable areas to observesecurity responses

•             Individuals or actions which are out of place for their surroundings (e.g., over or underdressed for the weather)

•             Unusual, vague, or cryptic threats, warnings, or comments about harming others

Some of these activities, taken individually, could be innocent and must be examined by law enforcement professionals in a larger context to determine where there is a basis to investigate. The activities outlined above are by no means all-inclusive but have been compiled from a review of terrorist events over several years.

Citation: Bureau of Justice Assistance/FBI Joint Bulletin,

“Communities Against Terrorism: Potential Indicators of Terrorist Activities Related to Mass Transportation”

Report suspicious activity.

Call Ohio Homeland Security:

1-877-OHS-INTEL

 1-877-647-4683

For emergency, call 9-1-1.

Do not jeopardize your safety or the safety of others.

MWCD approves sale of water from two Ohio lakes for Utica shale drillers

By Bob Downing, The Akron Beacon JournalMcClatchy-Tribune Information Services

April 22--The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District on Friday approved two deals with Utica shale drillers for water from Seneca Lake and Clendening Reservoir.
The first deal calls for the district to provide up to 184 million gallons of water from Seneca Lake in Guernsey and Noble counties to Colorado-based Antero Resources.

The district will sell up to 2 million gallons a day for up to three months. The drilling company holds about 20 Utica shale permits near Seneca Lake.
Under the contract, the company will pay $6 per 1,000 gallons from May through July. That price is 50 percent more than Antero now is paying for raw water, the district said.

Seneca Lake water will be used with other sources to create a private water system for Antero and its operations. That system is expected to cost $50 million to $60 million, according to information the district provided.  The system will include the creation of about 10 water-storage facilities connected by pipelines.
Antero's agreement calls for cutting off withdrawals if the lake level drops too low.

The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District also approved a separate deal with Oklahoma-based Gulfport Energy Corp. for up to 25 million gallons of water from Clendening Reservoir in Harrison County.
Gulfport will pay $8 per 1,000 gallons in the deal that runs through June 12. Its agreement calls for water withdrawals to be halted if the lake level drops below a certain threshold.
The company needs the water to hydraulically fracture, or frack, two of its Utica shale wells in Harrison County.

Last February, the district approved a $40.3 million natural gas lease with Antero for 6,500 acres at Seneca Lake. The district will be paid a leasing bonus of $6,200 per acre plus a royalty of 20 percent on natural gas, oil and natural gas liquids from Antero wells under district-owned land.

Earlier, the district had approved two other natural gas leases: in 2011 with Gulfport Energy at Clendening Lake and in 2012 with Chesapeake Energy Corp. for land at Leesville Lake in Carroll County.Gulfport paid the district a $15.6 million lease bonus on 2,800 acres and royalties on natural gas produced. Chesapeake paid the district $21.5 million in lease bonuses on 3,700 acres plus royalties.

Stretching from Akron to the Ohio River, the district covers 14 reservoirs and dams in 18 counties.

Bob Downing can be reached at 330-996-3745 or bdowning@thebeaconjournal.com.