Label
Council Members Adams and Komives
Title
Resolution requesting President Biden to sign an Executive Order for Federal Management that will reduce toxic harmful algae blooms that are costly for municipal water treatment plants and result in economic harm to fishing, boating and recreation, tourist related businesses; and declaring an emergency.
Summary
WHEREAS, Lake Erie is the warmest and most biologically productive of the Great Lakes, and Lake Erie walleye fishery is widely considered the best in the world 12th largest freshwater lake in the world; and
WHEREAS, Lake Erie provides the source of drinking water to 11 million people; and
WHEREAS, Lake Erie is important to the economy with an estimated loss of $123 million from water quality issues including fewer anglers, beach advisories, water quality advisories and increased water plant operating costs; and
WHEREAS, Lake Erie water quality improved and was the great success story after the Clean Water Act was passed with the return of walleye and yellow perch; and
WHEREAS, in the late 1990’s, however, the “green slime” began to reappear in Lake Erie with substantial blooms from 2000-2005 which continued to increase. As a result, the Ohio Lake Erie Phosphorus Task Force One was created by Ohio Democratic Governor Ted Strickland in 2007 which issued a report in 2010, and the Ohio Phosphorus Task Force Two was created by Republican Governor John Kasich in 2011 which issued a report in 2013. The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Annex Four - Nutrients was executed in 2012 creating a 40% reduction in phosphorus by 2025, the Lake Erie Collaborative Agreement was signed by Ohio, Michigan and Ontario for half the needed 40% reduction in phosphorus by 2020, and the Ohio Nutrient Mass Balance Reports were presented in 2016 and 2020; and
WHEREAS, over 2 billion dollars have been spent for programs, primarily for agriculture to do Best Management Practices to reduce phosphorus and harmful algal blooms that are not showing reductions in phosphorus discharges to Lake Erie as of the end of 2020; and
WHEREAS, in 2014, over 500,000 people who received drinking water from the City of Toledo water plant were told not to drink the water because of the harmful algae production of the toxin microcystin in the treated water, and since then there are reported dog deaths and people getting ill from contact with the harmful algae; and
WHEREAS, Lake Erie watershed cities have invested billions of dollars for infrastructure to prevent sewage overflows from going into Lake Erie and have reduced phosphorus discharge; these cities are now investing millions to monitor, treat, and pay capital costs to eliminate microcystin in drinking water; and
WHEREAS, the only documented US nutrient reduction program that has aided a watershed was via the Chesapeake Bay Executive Order signed by President Obama on May 22, 2009, which has brought back the oysters and the crab to the bay; and
WHEREAS, the federal government has an investment in many public lands in the Lake Erie watershed, including the Ottawa Wildlife Refuge, Point Mouilee, whose ecosystems are at risk from harmful algal toxins; NOW, THEREFORE,
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Toledo:
SECTION 1. That Toledo City Council strongly urges President Biden to sign the Lake Erie Executive Order for federal government leadership and coordination with states and local governments on establishing accountability measure for phosphorus reduction in Lake Erie and to help reduce local government costs and the economic harm to fishing, boating, swimming and tourism caused by the toxin producing harmful algae.
SECTION 2. That all formal actions concerning and relating to the passage of this Resolution were passed in an open meeting of this Council, and that all deliberations of this Council and any of its committees that resulted in such formal action were in meetings open to the public, in compliance with all legal requirements including Section 121.22 of the Ohio Revised Code.
SECTION 3. That this Resolution is declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its adoption. The reason for the emergency lies in the fact that this Resolution is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety and property; and for the further reason that immediate action is necessary in order to authorize a resolution indicating the support of Toledo City Council on a matter of great importance to the City in a timely manner which shall take effect immediately upon adoption.
Vote on emergency clause: yeas _____, nays _____.
Adopted: _________________, as an emergency measure: yeas _____, nays _____.
Attest: ________________________ __________________________________
Clerk of Council President of Council
Approved: _____________________ __________________________________
Mayor
I hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of a Resolution adopted by Council ________________________.
Attest: ________________________
Clerk of Council