“I was surrounded by a lot of different entities working very hard on keeping our water safe and clean and usable and keeping the Great Lakes protected…I have a lot of takebacks to give to the Senator’s office.”
– Lori Brodie, Northwest Regional Manager, U.S. Senator Jon Husted’s Office.
“A couple big takeaways today are one, of course funding for stormwater projects. Not every municipality, city or county has the funding to do all those projects. It’s important to find help whether it’s from the state or from the federal government…Before those projects even start there’s a cost to just the planning and the preparation for those projects and there’s not always funding for that. Helping folks get past those hurdles to get these projects done will ultimately benefit all our communities.”
– Ray Paoletta, District Director for U.S. Congressman Max Miller
Great Lakes restoration, stormwater resilience, and water infrastructure were front and center at TCWP’s recent policy roundtable during the Ohio Stormwater Conference.
Tinker’s Creek Watershed Partners brought together nearly 30 watershed professionals, industry leaders, conservation partners, and policymakers for a focused discussion on:
💧 Water quality and stormwater challenges facing Ohio communities
💧 Project successes and implementation barriers
💧 The importance of continued investment in Great Lakes restoration and
water infrastructure
We were honored to welcome:
• State Senator Theresa Gavarone, Great Lakes Commission Member
• Lori Brodie, Office of U.S. Senator Jon Husted
• Raymond Poletta, Office of U.S. Congressman Max Miller
• Austin Serna, MPA, Office of U.S. Congresswoman Representative Marcy Kaptur
Organizations represented included:
- Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS)
- Cleveland Metroparks
- Cuyahoga River Watershed Program (CRWP)
- Tinker’s Creek Watershed Partners (TCWP) -Organizing Group
- Davey Resource Group
- Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District
- Enbridge
- EnviroScience
- Junction Coalition
- Ohio Environmental Council
- OHM Advisors
- Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve / Ohio Department of Natural Resources
- STONE Environmental
- Summit Soil and Water Conservation District
- Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District
Participants discussed successful watershed restoration and stormwater infrastructure projects across Ohio, ongoing implementation challenges facing local communities, and the importance of continued state and federal investment in water quality and Great Lakes restoration initiatives.
The roundtable also explored emerging issues impacting Ohio communities, including development pressure, infrastructure demands, and long-term water resource planning.
“We were encouraged to bring together such a strong mix of local leaders, technical experts, watershed organizations, and legislative representatives for an honest conversation about Ohio’s water future. Protecting our streams, communities, and Great Lakes requires continued collaboration and investment at every level. Events like this help ensure that local challenges, successes, and priorities are part of the larger policy conversation shaping water infrastructure and restoration efforts across our region.” – Dr. Erica Matheny, Executive Director, Tinker’s Creek Watershed Partners.
Thank you to everyone who contributed their expertise and perspective to this important dialogue. Freshwater work only moves forward through collaboration and continued conversation at the local, state, and Federal level.