Ohio Lake Erie Commission to Hold Quarterly Meeting June 15

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission will hold its quarterly meeting on Wednesday, June 15 at 10 a.m. at the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge in Oak Harbor off West State Route 2. The meeting is open to the public.

The featured presentation will be an overview of nutrient loading and harmful algal blooms and how the State of Ohio is responding to these very significant Lake Erie issues for the summer of 2011. The discussion will feature an overview of the algae bloom problems and current status of studies and actions that are underway.

Commission members are expected to approve the latest round of small grants as well as the allocation of funds and grant guidelines for next years grant programs.

They also will be acting on the State endorsement for the Big Creek Balanced Growth Watershed Plan. Big Creek is a sub watershed of the Cuyahoga River and the plan has been developed as a multi-year effort of several municipalities working with the Cuyahoga River Community Planning Organization and the Friends of Big Creek.

All meetings of the Ohio Lake Erie Commission are open to the public and include a public comment period. Organizations and citizens are encouraged to attend this meeting and provide input on issues of importance to them.

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission oversees Ohio’s Lake Erie Protection Fund, which is a source of grant money for projects that benefit the Lake Erie watershed economically and environmentally. This fund is supported by Ohioans who purchase a Lake Erie license plate displaying the Marblehead Lighthouse or the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse designed by Ohio artist Ben Richmond. Since 1993, more than $9 million has been raised from sales of the Lake Erie license plates.

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission was established for the purpose of preserving Lake Erie's natural resources, protecting the quality of its waters and ecosystem, and promoting economic development in the region. The director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources serves as the commission chairman. Additional members include the directors of the state departments of Transportation, Health, Development, Agriculture and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.