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Download the Plan (.pdf)
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COLUMBUS, OH - Governor Bob Taft today announced a four-year strategic plan outlining key issues and action items to maintain and protect Ohios water resources. Taft released the 39-page plan developed by the
Ohio Water Resources Council, a ten-member board of Cabinet-agency directors and other officials assigned by the governor to ensure that water resources are wisely used to protect Ohio's environment, safeguard public health, and promote economic development and recreation.
This strategic plan identifies major issues affecting the use of our water resources and the steps we need to take to ensure that these issues are fully addressed," Taft said. I want Ohio to be a leader in water resources planning and management, and this plan puts us in a better position than ever before to get that job done.
The plan's 29 objectives for action are designed to strengthen collaboration between state, local and federal partners and to advance their efforts addressing improvements in areas such as water quality and quantity, watershed protection, regulatory programs, public and private water systems, water-based recreation and citizen involvement.
Among actions recommended in the plan are steps to:
- Assist local water systems in completing protection plans for drinking water systems.
- Support the implementation of Clean Ohio Fund programs for water resource cleanup and restoration.
- Develop agreements with other Great Lakes states and provinces regarding water use and water diversions, as well as water conservation.
- Assist communities in Appalachia to fund water and wastewater infrastructure.
- Provide support to small communities for local water planning initiatives.
- Collaborate on environmental education initiatives.
Taft described the newly released plan as the next important step to improve state water resources programs. Through the Ohio Water Resources Council and the actions identified in this new strategic plan, we can now work together at all levels of government and with our partners to solve many of the issues that affect Ohio's most important natural resource.
The Ohio Water Resources Council is comprised of directors of nine state agencies: the Ohio departments of Agriculture, Development, Health, Natural Resources and Transportation; Ohio Environmental Protection Agency; Ohio Public Works Commission; Public Utilities Commission of Ohio; and Ohio Water Development Authority, as well as an executive assistant to the Governor. The Council is assisted by two working groups, a State Agency Coordinating Group consisting of staff from member agencies, and an Advisory Group with representatives from 26 private organizations that deal with water issues in Ohio.