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Green Paper: Capital Improvements Budget
Amended House Bill 497 (As Passed by the Ohio House)
OEC’s Summary:
Amended House Bill 497 (As Passed by the House) authorizes the following capital project funding:
- $100M for the Clean Ohio Fund: $75M for conservation of open spaces, sensitive ecological areas, and stream corridors; $12.5M for farmland preservation; and $12.5M for construction of multi-purpose recreational trails.
- $236.4M for the ODNR for renovation and maintenance of state and local park facilities.
- $10M for the Healthy Lake Erie Initiative to divert the disposal of contaminated sediments dredged from navigational harbors to the open-waters of Lake Erie.
OEC’s Perspective: 3 Frogs!
A TRIFECTA for natural resource conservation. That fairly sums up this Capital Budget Bill.
WIN – A maxed-out renewal of bonding for the Clean Ohio Fund will build on Clean Ohio’s proven 3:1 return on investment which has leveraged additional investments to create a total economic impact of $2.6B in public and private investments for Mother Nature and economic revitalization.
PLACE – A long-overdue investment in Ohio’s state and local park facilities to address an enormous backlog of well documented, needed improvements to campgrounds, cabins, lodges and other recreational facilities.
SHOW – Bulked up continuation of an emerging fund that aims to find innovative alternatives to keep harbors clean and contaminated sediments out of the open waters of Lake Erie.
Recommendation:
The OEC wholeheartedly supports the environmental conservation funding in the Capital Bill and eagerly recommends its approval.
