Budget hearings: witnesses urge continued funding for ODNR programs, H2Ohio, forestry, parks and wildlife in House Bill 96

Witnesses at House Natural Resources Committee budget hearings urged lawmakers to maintain or increase funding for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), the H2Ohio program, forestry services and state parks as part of the biannual operating budget in House Bill 96.

Jenna Reese of the Ohio Forestry Association told the committee, "There are nearly 8,000,000 acres of forests in Ohio, which account for 30% of total land use in the state," and said 85% of that acreage is privately owned. Reese said private landowners rely on ODNR service foresters for technical assistance on forest management, insect and disease control and watershed protection and supported funding in HB 96 that would expand those services and the Buckeye State Tree Nursery.

Rebecca Molino of The Nature Conservancy said the group supports the governor's proposed funding for ODNR and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and urged continued investment in H2Ohio. "H2Ohio program launched in 2019 is an innovative approach to improving our water resources and meeting our commitment to reducing the nutrients that run off into Lake Erie and cause harmful algal blooms," Molino said, noting H2Ohio-funded wetlands have filtered runoff from more than 90,000 acres and that the program has created or restored over 16,000 acres of wetlands.

Sportsmen's and wildlife groups—represented by Rob Sexton of the Sportsman's Alliance, Jay Peterson of the League of Ohio Sportsmen and Paul Campbell of the National Wild Turkey Federation—supported ODNR funding proposals while urging protection of revenues that currently flow back to divisions that manage wildlife and parks. Rob Sexton said HB 96 "strikes the 30 day transfer provision" that previously required royalties from oil and gas leases on state lands to be transferred to the affected agency within 30 days; he asked lawmakers to restore that provision. These organizations also supported increases to nonresident hunting and fishing license fees contained in HB 96.

Public health and solid-waste witnesses supported a realignment of landfill and construction-and-demolition disposal fees to direct more resources to local health departments that regulate and inspect waste facilities. Courtney Myers, president of the Ohio Environmental Health Association, said local health departments "are the boots on the ground" for landfill oversight and recommended reallocating portions of existing disposal fees to local health agencies. Greg Kesterman, Hamilton County health commissioner and a representative of the Association of Ohio Health Commissioners, said a uniform disposal fee would reduce misclassification of out-of-state construction debris logged as lower-fee material and would provide a more reliable funding source for local health monitoring and closed-landfill mitigation.

Speakers representing parks, scenic rivers and local tourism urged increased operational support for parks and watercraft. Shannon Wells, Morgan County economic development director, described how state park investments in her county support tourism and local small businesses and asked the committee to back ODNR capital and operating funding tied to recent projects such as cabins, campgrounds and the Appalachian Hills Visitor Center. Multiple witnesses, including Michael Emmons with a Lake Improvement Association and a representative of Lake Milton Association, described park maintenance needs and the role of park law enforcement and watercraft officers in public safety.

Several witnesses requested targeted funding for specific problems. Beth Carmichael of the Trumbull County Tourism Bureau asked for a $500,000 annual increase for Mosquito Lake State Park to treat hydrilla, an invasive aquatic plant. Carmichael said hydrilla has affected roughly 250 acres of Mosquito Lake and that treatment costs can exceed $330,000 per year; she urged the appropriation to prevent spread to other waterways. David Hague, who dedicated 230 acres as the Coyote Run state nature preserve, and Hope Taft, speaking about scenic rivers, urged continued funding for the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves (DNAP) and scenic-river programs to support management, invasive-species control and public education.

Several witnesses highlighted quantitative impacts and program requests. Jenna Reese said Ohio's forest products industry has an annual economic impact of $30,000,000,000. Dr. Beck Schwab of Holden Forest and Gardens cited administration budget figures in support of ODNR: she referenced funding requests including $10,200,000 for ODNR general support, $10,800,000 for the state forest fund, and $1,100,000 for the state nursery as examples of line-item support reflected in the governor's proposal. Witnesses repeatedly linked ODNR funding to public benefits — improved water quality, forest health, wildfire prevention and economic activity from tourism and recreation.

The committee did not take formal votes on the operating budget during this hearing; testimony concluded and the committee adjourned after hearing from more than 20 witnesses. Committee members asked witnesses clarifying questions on topics including how landfill fees are currently allocated, the scale of closed landfills in Hamilton County, and the mechanics and cost of hydrilla treatment at Mosquito Lake.