Trumbull County commissioners authorize injunction to halt Levittsburg low-head dam removal, seek multi-party review

Trumbull County commissioners voted unanimously to authorize county counsel to seek a court injunction stopping removal activity at the Levittsburg low-head dam while the county, MetroParks, Warren Township and state agencies meet to review alternatives.

The action came after more than an hour of public comment in which residents, township trustees and public-health and environmental advocates urged the board to pause removal work. Commissioner Rick Hernandez, president of the Trumbull County Board of Commissioners, said commissioners wanted time for “a more cooperative solution that satisfies all parties.” Attorney Tom Wilson said the county will ask the Trumbull County Common Pleas Court for an immediate temporary injunction and then seek a hearing to request additional time as needed.

The commissioners’ decision follows repeated calls from Warren Township officials and residents who cited public-safety and public-health concerns, contested technical reports and a lack of cooperation from the MetroParks board.…