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Gov. Kasich Signs Senate Bill 1

By Chris Henney, OABA President and CEO

This past Thursday, April 2, Gov. John Kasich signed Senate Bill 1 into law. The law will officially go into effect in 90 days. The Ohio AgriBusiness Association released the statement below in support of the new law.

We thank Gov. Kasich for signing Senate Bill 1 today in an ongoing effort to support clean and healthy water in Lake Erie. The Ohio AgriBusiness Association supports the bill because its fertilizer application limits are based on sound agronomics, and because it addresses issues with water treatment plants and the dumping of dredged material in Lake Erie. We appreciate the governor and the General Assembly’s comprehensive approach to the issue and their willingness to work with, and listen to, the agricultural community through this process. OABA and its members are committed to responsible stewardship of the land for the long-term improvement and enjoyment of Lake Erie and all of Ohio's waterways for this generation, and those to come.

 

Here is a brief recap of Senate Bill 1:

The bill bans the application of fertilizer and manure:

  • On snow covered or frozen soil

  • When the top 2 inches of the soil are saturated from precipitation

  • Surface application of fertilizer when the weather forecast calls for a 50 percent or greater chance of precipitation of 1 inch or more in a 12-hour period (½ inch of rain in 24 hours for manure)

Exemptions to fertilizer application restrictions:

  • If injected into the ground

  • If incorporated within 24 hours

  • If applied on a growing crop

Enforcement of provisions:

  • The Director of Chief may apply a civil penalty of no more than $10,000

  • The person must be afforded the opportunity for adjudication

Additional Bill Details:

  • Only applies to the Western Lake Erie Basin (Click here for the map)

  • Fertilizer is defined as nitrogen and phosphorous

  • Manure applicators may apply for an emergency exemption

  • Medium and small animal feeding operations may apply for an exemption of up to two years if they are unable to meet the new expectations but are working toward compliance

  • Requires the state legislature to review the legislation after three years

  • Bans disposal of dredge material into Lake Erie in Maumee Bay after July 1, 2020

  • New monitoring requirements for water treatment facilities

 

The full bill can be accessed here: Senate Bill 1

 

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