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Since 1972
State Bound See page 19
Gas pipeline certified
RESS February 6, 2017
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Serving More Than h 33 33,000 000 H Homes & B Businesses i iin 4 C Counties ti
Permit required Anyone planning to discharge, dredge, or use fill material in a way that results in the placement of fill into waters of the state must first obtain a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which must be certified with a Water Quality Certification from the Ohio EPA. Discharges from the project have a potential to affect the quality of streams and wetlands in the following watersheds: Lower Maumee and OttawaStony, Sandusky, Tuscarawas, Walhonding, Mohican, Huron-Vermillion, and CedarPortage. Although the project may result in a change from current water quality conditions, the changes cannot violate Ohio’s water quality standards that protect human health and the environment, according to Lee. Ohio EPA considered technical, economic, social and environmental aspects of the project before deciding to issue the certification. The agency reviewed the project to ensure it complies with Ohio’s water quality standards. Ohio EPA also held an information session and public hearing in Fremont last September and received and reviewed Continued on page 2
2002-2017
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Dog shooting indictment recommended By Larry Limpf News Editor news@presspublications.com
By Kelly J. Kaczala Press News Editor kkaczala@presspublications.com The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency last week issued a Water Quality Certification for the Kinder Morgan Utopia gas pipeline. The 12-inch diameter pipeline will be constructed through a 213 mile area, and stretch from Harrison County to Fulton County. It will go through the counties of Wood, Lucas, Sandusky, Harrison, Carroll, Tuscarawas, Stark, Wayne, Ashland, Richland, Huron and Seneca. The proposed $500 million project will include a 100-foot wide construction corridor, consisting of a 50-foot wide permanent right-of-way and a 50-foot wide temporary work space. Pipeline impacts within the right-of-way are temporary and will be restored onsite to pre-construction conditions. Impacts that result in a conversion of wetland from forested to non-forested will require conversion mitigation as determined by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “This certification generally deals with construction projects where streams and watersheds could potentially be affected,” James Lee, of the Ohio EPA, told The Press last Wednesday. “The actual permit would be issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. But as part of that permitting process, the applicant needs to secure a Water Quality Certification from the Ohio EPA.” As the pipeline makes its way across several counties, fill material will end up in the streams, he said.
Inspirational Lesson See page 6
Bingo!
Gene Arnold and Vera Judy share a laugh during a game of bingo at the Oregon Senior Center. The center offers bingo daily, weekdays. For more information call 419-698-7078. (Press photo by Ken Grosjean)
Gardner, Arndt propose bill
State funds for school tech, security needed By Larry Limpf News Editor news@presspublications.com A state program to fund the construction and renovation of school buildings will be expanded to assist more districts with other improvements if a bill sponsored by two area legislators becomes law. Senator Randy Gardner (R-Bowling Green) and Representative Steve Arndt (R-Port Clinton) say their bill will allow school districts that haven’t funded projects through the Ohio School Facilities Commission to qualify for funding for technology and security upgrades. The senator’s office said he introduced a bill Tuesday. Rep. Arndt said Thursday he will file a companion bill in his chamber.
The state, in the late 1990s, began allocating billions of dollars to a construction and renovation program, forming the OSFC to establish a state-wide ranking of school districts that included districts’ property valuations and other criteria to determine how much state funding would go to districts and how much of a local share would be required. Low-ranked districts, Rep. Arndt said, have waited many years for funds representing a small percentage of a project’s total cost. “We are concerned that some school districts in Ohio, including many in our region of Ohio, will never consider the current facilities funding program to be the right choice for them,” he said “This new bill gives them an opportunity to qualify
Ottawa County prosecutor James VanEerten last week said he expected a complaint to be filed within days against a Carroll Township man for the fatal shooting of a neighbor’s dog. A charge against Paul McKee will be filed in Ottawa County Municipal Court, VanEerten said. A county grand jury has recommended one misdemeanor charge of an offense relating to domestic animals. VanEerten said the jury heard testimony from several witnesses and was provided with background case law for felony and misdemeanor charges in such cases. In particular, the jury was informed about a statute known as “Goddard’s Law,” which makes certain acts involving companion animals a fifth degree felony. The shooting occurred in December. Jody Hatfield, township police chief, said at the time his office was contacted Dec. 24 by a Benton-Carroll Road family that a black Labrador was missing and their neighbor acted suspiciously when they asked him about the dog. Chief Hatfield said police determined the dog named Savage strayed from its home and went to a house about one-half mile away where it was shot twice by the neighbor who said he feared it was aggressive. The man then hid the dog’s body in a 55-gallon barrel. Police were able to contact the man on Dec. 26 and retrieve the dog’s body and return it to its owners. When asked why he had placed it in the barrel, the man told police he didn’t want to “make enemies,” the chief said. The grand jury also indicted another man for offenses stemming from a high speed chase. Jeremiah J. Mincer, who is being held in the county detention facility, faces a 17-count indictment. Charges include aggravated vehicular assault, attempted aggravated vehicular assault, felonious assault, failure to comply. He also faces misdemeanor charges of assault and operating a vehicle while impaired. A Carroll Township officer was injured when Mincer’s vehicle struck the police cruiser.
Q
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When in doubt, just hang up. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine
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