Lake Erie Water Quality Protection Act Introduced in House
The Lake Erie Water Quality Protection Act (H.R. 8785) was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month by Representative David Joyce (R-OH). The bill directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to prioritize the development of dredge material management plans (DMMPs) for Ohio’s eight federal commercial navigation harbors along Lake Erie that adhere to the State’s water quality laws.
DMMPs are long-term planning documents that the USACE uses to ensure that maintenance dredging activities are performed in an environmentally acceptable manner, use sound engineering techniques, and are economically warranted. In 2020, an Ohio State law limiting open lake placement of dredge materials under certain circumstances went into effect to address water quality concerns.
Rep. Joyce, who also serves as a Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Great Lakes Task Force, said that he is “proud to introduce this bill in the House to ensure dredging not only continues to support our regional economy but also furthers northeast Ohio’s environmental sustainability.”
Ohio Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) had previously secured similar legislative language in Sec. 139 of the Senate-passed Water Resources Development Act of 2022. Rep. Joyce’s bill has been referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
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