Senate OKs Carey bill to preserve funding for soil, water conservation
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The Ohio Senate yesterday unanimously approved Senate Bill 155, bipartisan legislation sponsored by State Senator John Carey (R-Wellston) and State Senator Dale Miller (D-Cleveland) that would preserve needed funding for soil and water conservation projects across Ohio.
Ohio has 88 soil and water conservation districts (SWCD) — one in each county — which work with land owners in both urban and rural areas to help prevent soil erosion and promote responsible water management. Unfortunately, because of the state’s difficult budget situation, funding for these districts was cut significantly during deliberations on House Bill 1 this past spring.
After talking with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio
Federation of Soil and Water Conservation, Sen. Carey worked to include
language in SB 155 to direct a portion of the state’s existing fee on the
sale of new tires to help restore some funding for local soil and water
districts. In addition, the bill would increase by $10,000 the amount that
ODNR can distribute through grants to soil and water districts that
currently receive little to no local matching dollars. According to ODNR,
this change could help these districts maintain at least one full-time
employee to help the SWCD board perform minimum services for the local
community and apply for grants and other sources of revenue.
In particular, Sen. Carey noted that the legislation would help many
counties, including Jackson, Vinton and Highland counties in the 17th Senate
District to keep their SWCD offices open.
“To ensure the health and well-being of Ohio families, the preservation of
our environment and the future prosperity of Ohio farmers and our state’s
agriculture industry, we must take care of our land and water resources,”
said Carey. “SB 155 would secure a source of revenue to help our local SWCDs
continue this important mission.”
“I would like to thank Sen. Miller for his work on SB 155 and my other
Senate colleagues for their strong support,” Carey added. “It is critical
that the House consider the bill in a timely manner.”
SB 155 also includes a provision championed by the Auditor of State designed
to give the Auditor’s office greater flexibility and discretion to conduct
audits of state agencies every two years and ensure greater transparency in
government spending.
Current Ohio law allows the Auditor to charge most public offices for the
cost of performing their audit. However, the Auditor’s office also conducts
biennial audits of approximately 70 state agencies, which are supposed to be
paid for through an appropriation at the Department of Administrative
Services. HB 1, however, did not provide this appropriation. Therefore, in
an effort to ensure the Auditor’s office has the resources needed to move
forward with their work, SB 155 would delete the requirement in state law
that payments for biennial audits come from DAS.
After passing the Senate 31-0 today, SB 155 now goes to the Ohio House for
further consideration. For more information, please visit
www.legislature.state.oh.us[[In-content Ad]]
Ohio has 88 soil and water conservation districts (SWCD) — one in each county — which work with land owners in both urban and rural areas to help prevent soil erosion and promote responsible water management. Unfortunately, because of the state’s difficult budget situation, funding for these districts was cut significantly during deliberations on House Bill 1 this past spring.
After talking with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio
Federation of Soil and Water Conservation, Sen. Carey worked to include
language in SB 155 to direct a portion of the state’s existing fee on the
sale of new tires to help restore some funding for local soil and water
districts. In addition, the bill would increase by $10,000 the amount that
ODNR can distribute through grants to soil and water districts that
currently receive little to no local matching dollars. According to ODNR,
this change could help these districts maintain at least one full-time
employee to help the SWCD board perform minimum services for the local
community and apply for grants and other sources of revenue.
In particular, Sen. Carey noted that the legislation would help many
counties, including Jackson, Vinton and Highland counties in the 17th Senate
District to keep their SWCD offices open.
“To ensure the health and well-being of Ohio families, the preservation of
our environment and the future prosperity of Ohio farmers and our state’s
agriculture industry, we must take care of our land and water resources,”
said Carey. “SB 155 would secure a source of revenue to help our local SWCDs
continue this important mission.”
“I would like to thank Sen. Miller for his work on SB 155 and my other
Senate colleagues for their strong support,” Carey added. “It is critical
that the House consider the bill in a timely manner.”
SB 155 also includes a provision championed by the Auditor of State designed
to give the Auditor’s office greater flexibility and discretion to conduct
audits of state agencies every two years and ensure greater transparency in
government spending.
Current Ohio law allows the Auditor to charge most public offices for the
cost of performing their audit. However, the Auditor’s office also conducts
biennial audits of approximately 70 state agencies, which are supposed to be
paid for through an appropriation at the Department of Administrative
Services. HB 1, however, did not provide this appropriation. Therefore, in
an effort to ensure the Auditor’s office has the resources needed to move
forward with their work, SB 155 would delete the requirement in state law
that payments for biennial audits come from DAS.
After passing the Senate 31-0 today, SB 155 now goes to the Ohio House for
further consideration. For more information, please visit
www.legislature.state.oh.us[[In-content Ad]]