TOLEDO – Ohio's plan to take a big bite out of what's feeding the toxic cyanobacteria in western Lake Erie leans heavily on programs put in place over the last few years.
The strategy obtained by The Associated Press calls for additional water monitoring and more oversight of existing programs, but no new money toward targeting the blooms threatening drinking water.
The plan being rolled out Wednesday is the state's blueprint for reaching a 40% reduction in the phosphorus runoff that fuels the cyanobacteria in the lake's western end.
Ohio, Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario signed a deal a year ago to sharply reduce the runoff within the next 10 years.
Researchers have linked the toxic cyanobacteria to phosphorus from farm fertilizers, livestock manure and sewage treatment plants.
