Ohio Ranked Among Nation's Top Polluters

Ohio ranked first in the nation for the number of times its major factories and cities released unauthorized amounts of harmful chemicals and untreated sewage into waterways, according to an environmental group report released Thursday.

Cities and industrial facilities nationwide often deposit more pollution into waterways than the 1972 Clean Water Act allows, said the report from Environment Ohio (EO), a nonprofit group.

EO took 2005 water pollution data from cities and industries deemed to release significant amounts of toxins into major waterways by the U.S. Environmental Protection Angecy (EPA); it obtained the information through a Freedom of Information request to the EPA. Industrial facilities and cities exceeded allowable levels a total of 1,797 times.

Ohio ranked fifth in the country for percentage of major facilities and cities that have exceeded permit levels at least once, with 217 of 292 fitting this description. Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire ranked above Ohio in this category.

"If more people were aware that there are waterways polluted, there would be more reason to hold these polluters accountable," said EO environmental advocate Amy Gomberg.

The Ohio EPA said the state has assessed more than $22 million in penalties for water violations, including untreated sewage and metallic chemical contamination, between 2001 and 2006. Many of the untreated sewage violations are a result of municipalities using combined storm water and sewage drain systems, said Linda Oros, spokeswoman for the Ohio EPA. Major storm events and flooding can create an overflow of storm water, pushing untreated sewage from such systems into surface water before it can reach a treatment plant.

As of 2005, 50 of 100 municipalities had separated systems. Those still using a combined system have established a timeline for incorporating separation, but it takes "tremendous capital investment," Oros said.

Source: The Associated Press