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. Several speakers, including Deb Roth of Warren Township and Faith Smith of Leetsburg, urged commissioners to stop work while an independent review and federal and state agency input are completed. Smith referenced an Army Corps–style dredging report and other environmental material she submitted to the commission and to MetroParks.

Trustees and residents said active equipment and tree clearing at Canoe City and work at the Levittsburg site risk stirring contaminated sediment in the Mahoning River and could produce broader health impacts. Edward Anthony, a township trustee, warned of “major health hazard” risks and said residents feared costly legal exposure if removal continued before sewer fixes and other mitigations were in place. Speakers repeatedly asked the commissioners to withhold funding to MetroParks until the park board participates in a multi-party review.

County attorney Tom Wilson told commissioners that once the injunction is filed they will ask for a temporary order “immediately” and that a judge can schedule a hearing within days; the temporary order can be requested for an initial short period and extended if the court grants it at the hearing. Commissioners said they intend to ask the court to pause activity long enough for an EPA-convened meeting and for participation from the county engineer and the county board of health.

Commissioners emphasized they were not taking a public policy position for or against dam removal; rather, they said, the intent is to pause on-the-ground activity so alternatives and environmental risks can be fully evaluated and all stakeholders can confer. Commissioner Denny Malloy said he supported a pause to “do what’s best for the residents,” and Commissioner Bernard voiced similar concerns about safety and the need for cooperation.

Public commenters raised specific technical questions about alternatives included in a DLZ study and whether removing the dam would affect flood plains such as areas in Braceville and Eagle Creek. Some speakers said MetroParks had declined to meet with state EPA representatives; MetroParks board members Randy Fabrizio and John Brown were named in public statements criticizing the board’s direction and appointment process.

The injunction vote was taken after the board returned from executive session. Commissioners voted yes on the motion and instructed Attorney Wilson to file the appropriate papers in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court and to seek a court schedule that allows time for a multi-party meeting with the Ohio EPA, the county engineer, the county board of health, MetroParks and township officials.

The board directed staff and counsel to pursue the injunction immediately and to facilitate a meeting among the parties. Commissioners said they would report further once the filing is complete and a hearing date is set.

Residents at the meeting urged rapid filing, saying crews were clearing trees and preparing the site at Canoe City while the meeting proceeded. Commissioners asked counsel to act quickly but said final timing of court action depends on the judge’s schedule.