Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Agency Testimony topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
ODNR officials outline certification, funding and recommend code updates during committee testimony
Summary
Officials from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources testified to the House General Government Committee about licensing and certification duties across Forestry, Mineral Resources Management, and Wildlife, noting certification counts, modest fees, a ~$3 million mine-safety budget, and recommendations to remove outdated certifications from the Ohio Revised Code.
Officials from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources told the House General Government Committee that the department’s licensing and certification programs are designed to balance public safety, resource protection and sustainable use across Ohio.
Greg Gess, Assistant Chief of the Division of Forestry, said the certified prescribed fire manager program issues about 25 new certifications annually, renews roughly 40 certifications each year and has over 200 active certified managers statewide. He said there is no cost for initial certification or renewal but that the division charges an $80 fee for its instructional course; alternative training is acceptable if it meets the requirements of OAC 1501:13-01. “Approximately 25 certifications are issued annually and 40 certifications are renewed annually with over 200 active certifications for prescribed fire managers across the state,” Gess said. He described training as 30 hours of classroom instruction plus prior professional experience on at least 10 prescribed or wildfires and said the program’s workload is handled by five to seven employees amounting to less than half of a full-time equivalent.
Benny McCamut, chief of the Division of Mineral Resources Management, outlined the division’s mine-safety and blasting programs. McCamut said those responsibilities include audits, safety training, examinations and certifications, mine-rescue support, and investigation of blasting complaints. “The mine safety program works from a budget of approximately $3,000,000 per year,” he said, adding that the program is funded mostly by general revenue funds and by a small annual grant from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA); annual certification exam and fee revenue totals less than $2,500. McCamut recommended removing several standalone, outdated certifications from the Ohio Revised Code because federal standards (including MSHA rules) now cover those activities.
Leland Earhart, law enforcement program administrator in the Division of Wildlife, described the division’s licensing and funding structure. He said the division manages or cooperates in managing more than 750,000 acres of wildlife lands, 124,000 acres of inland water and a portion of Lake Erie and the Ohio River; license fees and federal aid (Dingell–Johnson and Pittman–Robertson Acts) are primary program supports, supplemented by approximately $2,000,000 per year from the general revenue fund. In response to questions from Representative Usbaker, Earhart said specialty license requests have been generally stable, citing a temporary uptick in commercial nuisance-wildlife control licensing during the COVID period that has since leveled off.
Committee members asked whether most of the listed permits and licenses stem from federal requirements; McCamut responded that almost all are required by federal law except a few Ohio-unique certifications such as the Surface Mine Blaster Limited and mine medical responder. Witnesses offered no immediate recommendations for creating broad new educational programs beyond routine instructor recruitment and training.
The committee thanked the witnesses and adjourned after completing the day's agenda.
