Budget hearing on House Bill 96 spotlights H2Ohio, forestry, parks, landfill fees and invasive-species funding requests

Witnesses at a House Natural Resources Committee budget hearing on House Bill 96 testified across a range of natural-resource priorities, emphasizing continued funding for water-quality programs, the Division of Forestry, state parks and a suite of targeted needs — including a $500,000 request to fight hydrilla at Mosquito Lake.

The Nature Conservancy and other conservation groups and industry witnesses told the committee the H2Ohio program and related clean-water investments remain a priority. Rebecca Molino of The Nature Conservancy said H2Ohio “is definitely a critical, program. It really helps water quality,” and noted the program has supported creation, restoration or enhancement of more than 16,000 acres of wetlands that filter water from more than 90,000 acres in linked watersheds. TNC also highlighted budget items to repair failing home sewage systems, replace lead service lines and fund riparian corridor protection and dam removals.

Forestry funding and nursery capacity drew extended testimony. Jenna Reese of the Ohio Forestry Association said Ohio has “nearly 8,000,000 acres of forests … 30% of total land use in the state,” and that 85% of those forests are privately owned; she urged support for Division of Forestry service foresters and the Buckeye State Tree Nursery in Zanesville to meet seedling demand. Danielle Yossi of the Ohio Forestry Advisory Council and Dr. Beck Schwab of Holden Forest and Gardens also urged funding for service foresters, wildfire prevention, reforestation, and the state forest fund.

Several sportsmen’s and wildlife organizations backed parts of the budget and raised two related concerns: support for nonresident hunting and fishing fee increases and protection of revenues from oil and gas extraction on state lands. Rob Sexton of the Sportsman’s Alliance and Jay Peterson of the League of Ohio Sportsmen said they support the proposed nonresident fee increases and argued that revenue from oil and gas on wildlife lands should be returned to the relevant divisions that manage those lands. Sexton warned that HB 96 “strikes the 30 day transfer provision and we don't have any explanation as to why that would need to be,” arguing the prior statutory language ensured timely transfers to the affected division.

Solid-waste fee reallocation and local public-health funding were also a focal point. Courtney Myers of the Ohio Environmental Health Association told the committee local health departments perform inspections and oversight at disposal facilities but receive a very small portion of fees: “Local health departments retain just 2,500 of the 60,000 annual, license fee for landfills and $750 for solid waste transfer facilities,” she said, urging that a portion of landfill fees be directed to local health districts. Greg Kesterman of the Association of Ohio Health Commissioners said Ohio EPA’s proposed uniform disposal fee for solid and construction-and-demolition waste (citing changes to 37 34.57 in testimony) would reduce misclassification, raise revenues for local health oversight, and discourage the practice of logging out-of-state waste as lower-fee C&D debris.

Park maintenance, staffing and visitor services were raised repeatedly. Witnesses from Friends groups, regional tourism bureaus and park stakeholders — including Paul Campbell of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Michael Emmons of the Lake Improvement Association, Donald Klaus of Muskies Incorporated (Cleveland chapter), and volunteers from Lake Milton and Little Miami State Park — described aging infrastructure, increasing operating costs and higher personnel costs. Michael Emmons told the committee Ohio State Parks saw over 30 million visitors in 2024 and warned that inflation and recent pay increases have strained operating budgets. Several witnesses asked the committee to preserve or increase funding for the Division of Parks and Watercraft.

An individual request from Trumbull County officials drew sustained attention. Beth Carmichael of the Trumbull County Tourism Bureau asked for an additional $500,000 per fiscal year for Mosquito Lake State Park to support multi-year treatments and public-education efforts to control hydrilla, an invasive aquatic plant. Carmichael said hydrilla has already affected “approximately 250 acres of the lake,” that last year’s treatment cost about $330,000, and warned starkly: “We are only 1 bathing suit away from infecting Lake Erie and the Ohio waterways.” Committee members asked technical questions about treatment methods and whether the infestation winters over; Carmichael and other witnesses confirmed chemical treatment is the standard control method and that hydrilla can persist through winter.

Other witnesses described local economic impacts and partnerships. Shannon Wells of Morgan County said ODNR investments — new cabins, visitor centers and lock repairs on the Muskingum River Parkway — support rural tourism and short-term rental operators. Hope Taft, former first lady, emphasized scenic rivers and the economic value of river recreation; David Hague described dedicating 230 acres as the Coyote Run State Nature Preserve and urged continued DNAP staffing to maintain preserved lands.

Where testimony requested statutory changes or budget reallocations, those items were entered as requests rather than formal committee actions; the transcript records no committee votes on HB 96 at this hearing. Committee members asked procedural and clarifying questions but did not move or vote on the budget during the session.

The hearing combined broad policy advocacy (H2Ohio and forest management) with specific local asks (Mosquito Lake funding, landfill fee reallocation, and oil-and-gas revenue transfer language). Lawmakers and staff will weigh those requests as the budget proceeds through the legislative process.