Coalition Releases Draft Plan to Restore Ohio River Basin Waters

A coalition of environmental groups, universities, and nonprofits has released a comprehensive draft plan titled "Healthy Waters, Healthy Communities, Healthy Economies" to restore and protect the Ohio River Basin, which spans 14 states and provides drinking water to over 30 million people. The plan addresses critical issues including toxic pollution, sewage contamination, habitat loss, mine waste, flooding, invasive species, and water infrastructure deficiencies. It emphasizes the need for significant federal investment and collaboration among local, tribal, state, and federal governments, highlighting successful restoration efforts in regions like the Chesapeake Bay and Great Lakes as models. The Ohio River Basin Alliance and National Wildlife Federation are advocating for the creation of a federal office to oversee restoration efforts, with bipartisan congressional support already evident. Public input on the plan is invited, with the goal of improving environmental health, community wellbeing, economic vitality, and recreational opportunities throughout the basin. Advocates stress that despite the region's importance, it has not yet received the level of federal funding allocated to other major waterway restoration projects.