Ohio Chapter
NEWS RELEASE
| For Immediate Release: |
Contacts: |
| March 20, 2002 |
Marc Conte, Sierra Club, 614-461-0734
|
Polluters Can Avoid Penalties When Ohio EPA Fails to Act
COLUMBUS - The Ohio House of Representatives passed Senate Bill
105 today by a vote of 58 to 39. The bill sets a five-year statute of
limitations for penalties when companies violate environmental laws. In essence,
polluters get to avoid penalties when state agencies such as Ohio EPA fail to
take action within a timely manner to enforce environmental laws. The Sierra
Club opposes Senate Bill 105.
"By passing this bill, the Ohio House is saying that Governor Taft's
Ohio EPA is falling down on the job when it comes to protecting Ohio's air and
water," said Marc Conte, Legislative Coordinator for the Ohio Chapter of
the Sierra Club. "We should be demanding that Governor Taft's agencies do
their job, not letting polluters off the hook," continued Conte.
The bill is extremely vague as to when the give years begins to toll.
Contrary to testimony from proponents, the trigger event is not "knowledge
of the violation." An amendment with this more specific language failed on
the House floor.
The bill also prevents local governments from collecting penalties when they
bring suits after five years if the Ohio EPA and other state agencies fail to
act in a timely manner.
"We need better environmental enforcement in this state. Unfortunately,
Senate Bill 105 moves Ohio in the opposite direction," added Conte.
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