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This Farm Bureau KeyVote legislation would mandate the use of scientifically sound data when Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) and other agencies address water quality regulations. Hearings are being held in the House Energy and Environment Committee. Lawmakers need to hear that you support passage of this bill.

The intent of House Bill 479 is to prevent agencies from using subjective opinions instead of scientific fact as they assess water quality and require remediation. A second part of the bill would allow OEPA to use data collected by nonagency sources, if the data is subject to the same high level of validity that OEPA’s data is held to. In addition to holding government to objective standards, the law will help farmers in their own self-assessment activities.

For background on the legislation and a copy of OFBF’s testimony, visit the "Government and Grassroots" section of the Farm Bureau Web site at www.ofbf.org. In addition to giving you important information about this bill, you can directly link to your legislator and e-mail a message asking for his or her support.

Your contact is especially important if your representative serves on the House Energy and Environment Committee, but it will be useful to communicate with all members of the House. Energy and Environment Committee members are Aslanides, Britton, Carmichael, Core, Fedor, Hagan, Hollister (chair), Jolivette, Koziura, Lendrum, Niehaus, Redfern, Seaver, Setzer, Strahorn, White and Woodard.

Contact your representative and ask for support of House Bill 479.