|
The Ohio River Basin Alliance And ORSANCO Celebrate Successful Congressional Event in Washington D.C.
Pledging Continued Support for Ohio River Basin Restoration Plan
[Cincinnati, Ohio] — The Ohio River Basin Alliance (ORBA) and the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) are proud to announce the successful completion of the second annual Ohio River Basin Day on the Hill, held on May 16 at the Russell Senate Building in Washington D.C. The event marked a significant milestone in an ongoing collaboration aimed at advancing an Ohio River Basin Restoration Plan that will address the threats to the region’s water through collaborative solutions. Keynote speakers included Congressman Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-03), US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water Acting Assistant Administrator Bruno Pigott, National Wildlife Foundation Director Ohio River Restoration Jordan Lubetkin, National Park Service Deputy Associate Director Stephan Nofield, and Huntington District Commander Colonel Jason Putnam and Regional Programs Director Joe Savage of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division.
Over 60 participants attended the event, including community leaders, industry experts, elected officials, national agencies, environmental groups, grassroots organizations, and enthusiastic supporters. Highlights included supportive briefings from keynote speakers, a plan of action for the release of the Ohio River Basin Restoration Plan from National Wildlife Federation, as well as an announcement by Congressman Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-03) that Congresswoman Erin Houchin (R-IN-09) has joined the Ohio River Basin Congressional Caucus as co-chair encouraging members that their behind the scenes work has entered the consciousness of Congress with a renewed sense of energy. This announcement has fostered a spirit of unity and shared purpose among the ORBA member agencies, ORSANCO, and the Ohio River Basin Congressional Caucus. After the event, members of the alliance met with nearly 40 congressional offices to raise awareness regarding emerging challenges and rally support for the waterways of the Ohio River Basin.
"We are thrilled with the outcome of Ohio River Basin Day on the Hill,” said Craig Butler, Executive Director of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District and current Chairperson of ORBA. "This event is a testament to the power of collaboration and the shared commitment between our organizations to advance the much needed support for the Ohio River Basin. We are excited to build on this momentum and continue working together towards our shared vision."
Richard Harrison, ORSANCO Executive Director and Chief Engineer echoed these sentiments, stating, "the success of Ohio River Basin Day on the Hill demonstrates what we can achieve when we combine our resources and expertise. The efforts of our shared watershed approach have already made a significant impact, and we are dedicated to maintaining this partnership in order to drive further progress with the Ohio River Basin Restoration Plan as our roadmap."
ORBA is a collaborative unified voice of stakeholders for water resource priorities of the Ohio River Basin, represented by over 500 members from over 200 organizations. ORBA is partnering with the National Wildlife Foundation to create an Ohio River Basin Restoration Plan that proposes solutions for restoring habitat, protecting water quality, modernizing water infrastructure, and addressing invasive species in the 14-state Ohio River Basin. “A top priority for the Ohio River Basin Alliance is to ensure that the final Ohio River restoration and protection plan is a community-driven document that encompasses the clean water priorities of people in cities and towns across the region,” said ORBA Chair Craig Butler. “We are listening to communities, taking their comments to heart, and incorporating their ideas into a blueprint to restore these vital waters by supporting solutions that benefit our environment and economy.”
The plan is crafted by stakeholders from state and federal agencies, educational institutions, utilities, businesses, and non-governmental organizations, with input from more than 500 residents who participated in 31 community listening sessions around the region. ORBA is finalizing the Ohio River Basin Restoration Plan and working with the Ohio River Basin Congressional Caucus to ensure success, once completed the plan will be delivered to Congress with the goal of developing legislation that will secure federal investment and implementation. As the Ohio River Basin Caucus Co-Chair, Congressman McGarvey noted the lack of dedicated federal funding for the Ohio River Basin and recognized the economic and ecological importance of the Ohio River as a vital resource that connects all districts of the basin.
Both ORBA and ORSANCO are committed to continuing their partnership and expanding their collaborative efforts for bringing much needed attention and funding to the basin. ORBA is thankful to Congressman McGarvey and his staff as well as the keynote speakers, attendees, volunteers, and supporters who contributed to the success of the 2024 Ohio River Basin Day on the Hill.
A recording of the 2024 Ohio River Basin Day on the Hill event can be found on the ORBA Facebook page at https://fb.watch/s69xAfz2c9/. For more information about ORBA and the effort to improve funding resources that will restore and protect the waterways of the Ohio River Basin, visit orsanco.org/orba.
About Ohio River Basin Alliance (ORBA)
ORBA was founded in 2009 to provide a unified voice for the priorities of the region - a need identified by the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and ORSANCO. ORBA’s main goals, on behalf of its 500 members and over 200 organizations, are to facilitate Ohio River Basin stakeholder collaboration, inform elected officials on critical issues related to sustainable economic growth and wise management of our natural resources, and facilitate coordination and delivery of projects to address Ohio River Basin priorities.
| 
