Toledo Mayor D. Michael Collins wants President Barack Obama to issue a presidential executive order for Lake Erie’s algae problem that affected the city’s water supply in August, according to Zanesville Times Recorder.
The economic impact of Lake Erie’s toxic algae blooms on the city of Toledo totalled an estimated $2.2 million to $2.5 million. Farmers have already learned of practices that could help to decrease nutrient runoff and water contamination, but Collins wants more to be done about the issue.
In 2009, Obama issue an executive order to reduce harmful runoff into the Chesapeake Bay. Under the 2014 Farm Bill, federal money has been apportioned to some conservation programs, but Collins wants federal money to go to watershed conservation, a water quality standard for toxic algae blooms and research on water quality, noting that it’s only a matter of time before water contamination will affect the public again from Lake Erie’s algae problem.
Via: Zanesville Times Recorder > Toledo mayor wants Obama action on Lake Erie algae
