Fetterman, Young Introduce Bill to Preserve Ohio River Basin

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last week, U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Todd Young (R-IN) introduced the Ohio River Restoration Program Act to improve water quality, transportation and economy, ecological well-being, and other aspects of watershed health. The restoration program would create an Ohio River National Program Office within the Environmental Protection Agency, bringing together states, local governments, Tribal nations, and nonprofit groups to boost initiatives that directly benefit communities.

"As I've always said, access to clean drinking water is a right that everyone deserves - including communities that have long been marginalized and forgotten," said Senator Fetterman. "Not only will the bill help protect this vital resource, but it will also push the government to carry out other initiatives to help support farm conservation efforts and homeowner support. I'm proud to introduce the Ohio River Restoration Program Act with Senator Young so we do right by the American people."

"The Ohio River is vital to southern Indiana's economy, ecosystem, and supply of drinking water," said Senator Young. "Our legislation would establish a non-regulatory restoration program and provide needed federal support to protect the Ohio River. This bill also would help restore Indiana's rivers - like the White and Wabash - that flow downstream into the Ohio. Congress should pass this bill to preserve the Ohio River Basin for generations to come."

The Ohio River Basin is home to 10% of the United States population, covers 204,000 square miles encompassing parts of 15 states, has 7,000 miles of waterfront along the Ohio River, and provides drinking water to several million people. The Ohio River alone is 981 miles long and runs from the confluence of the Allegheny and the Monongahela Rivers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and ends in Cairo, Illinois.

In 2021, the University of Pittsburgh's Water Collaboratory and Three Rivers Waterkeeper collected 100 samples from 25 locations in tributaries that feed Pittsburgh's three rivers. Scientists found ample evidence of coal mining's thumbprint in the rivers, including consistently "concerning" concentrations of manganese in tributaries of the Mon, and elevated concentrations of iron. They also found high concentrations of nutrients in tributaries that feed into the Monongahela, mostly nitrogen and phosphorus. If concentrations of nutrients are too high, it can trigger algal blooms, and excessive algae growth leads to lower oxygen levels, acidic water, and sometimes the death of aquatic life.

The initiatives the Ohio River Restoration Program Act will carry out through the EPA:

• Core restoration actions that can provide a solid foundation for an Ohio River restoration and protection plan, such as habitat restoration, farm conservation, and invasive species control and management.
• Pollution prevention and clean water protection that can complement and support restoration actions.
• Robust monitoring, data collection, and evaluation that can be used to effectively and efficiently manage a restoration and protection program across 14 states.
• Workforce development and job training that can help create strong, local economies based on water protection and restoration.
• Strong local public engagement structures to ensure that residents have a seat at the table to weigh in on restoration decisions and hold elected officials accountable.
• Investments and policies that help communities prepare for the impacts of extreme storms and flooding.
• Investments and policies that help the communities most impacted by pollution.

The Ohio River Restoration Program Act is endorsed by the National Wildlife Federation, Ohio River Basin Alliance, Ohio River Way, American Rivers, Kentucky Waterways Alliance, Appalachian Voices, Appalachian Citizens' Law Center, West Virginia Rivers Coalition Inc., Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Kentucky Resources Council, Inc, River Fields, River City Paddle Sports, Indiana Wildlife Federation, Upstream Pittsburgh, Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund, Virginia Conservation Network, Three Rivers Waterkeeper, PennFuture, Groundwork Ohio River Valley, Ohio Conservation Federation, Livelihoods Knowledge Exchange Network (LiKEN), Kentucky Riverkeeper, Friends of Bell Smith Springs, Prairie Rivers Network, Ohio River Foundation and Kentucky Conservation Committee.

Read the full text of the bill here.