Cordray, DeWine pledge to include farmers in Lake Erie cleanup

SANDUSKY –– Democrat Rich Cordray and Republican Mike DeWine both said they'll include state farmers in any discussion about how to deal with harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie.Gov. John Kasich, in his last year of office, set off a controversy when he issued an executive order on July 11 to impose new regulations on thousands of farmers in eight watersheds to try to reduce nutrient runoffs into Lake Erie that feed harmful algal blooms.The eight are Platter Creek, Little Flat Rock Creek, Little Auglaize River, Eagle Creek, Auglaize River, Blanchard River, St. Marys River and the Ottawa River.Kasich's efforts suffered a setback last week, however, when the Ohio Soil and Water Commission voted to delay action for months so it can study the issue. Kasich hoped the commission would immediately move to declare the eight areas are in distress.Environmental groups largely backed the governor's order, but the Ohio Farm Bureau criticized it and said farmers were excluded from discussing the decision. Kasich said he acted because state lawmakers have demonstrated they won't take strong action.The arguments over the governor's order have been largely between officials such as Dennis Murray Jr., Sandusky's ex officio mayor, who said the order finally takes needed action, and officials such as Rep. Steve Arndt, R-Port Clinton, who said the governor should first have hosted meetings with farmers and other interested parties.Since either Cordray or DeWine likely will be Ohio's next governor, charged with protecting Lake Erie, the Register asked the two candidates to weigh in on Kasich's order.Cordray: "It's clear that we must do more to address the toxic algae bloom in Lake Erie that has damaged our environment, our coastal economy, and the health and well-being of countless Ohioans. As governor, I'll solve this problem through a cooperative approach that brings everyone — including farmers, business owners, and environmental advocates — to the table to find solutions and sustainably implement them."DeWine's spokesman, Joshua Eck, spoke on the candidate's behalf."Protecting Lake Erie and the state's water quality is an extremely important issue both for public health and economic development. Mike DeWine met last week with agriculture leaders from around the state and his commitment to them was that when he is governor, we will take a strong look at this issue, and that the agriculture community will have a seat at the table to address this issue," Eck said.Murray told the Register Monday Kasich has shown patience on the issue and it was time to take action."This was an issue when I was in the legislature and there was a recognized need to take action then," Murray said. "That need still exists. I applaud the governor for taking the action that he did. He waited a long time for a consensus to develop."Lake Erie supports many local jobs, Murray said."This is critical to the future economic viability of our region," he said.Arndt said that while there is no question there will need to be "additional requirements" to deal with harmful algal blooms, including having farmers carry out nutrient management plans, the governor should have sat down with interested parties before issuing his order. That would have allowed the administration to better understand the order and what it will do.Arndt said Gov. Kasich also has said little about what he intends to do with an ongoing federal lawsuit in Toledo that concerns the lake.Although the U.S. EPA has conceded that western Lake Erie is "impaired," the original issue inspiring a lawsuit by environmental groups against the federal agency, U.S. District Judge James G. Carr has kept the lawsuit alive and apparently is monitoring steps being taken to clean up the lake."I don't know where this administration is going to go with the federal lawsuit," Arndt said. "There are other things hanging out there."Reach reporter Tom Jackson at jackson@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @jacksontom.Rich CordrayMike DeWineGov. John Kasich