Rep. Dave Hall, R-Millersburg, Ohio, believes a gas and severance tax should be imposed on oil and gas and the revenue earned put towards water quality control. “I believe by 2020, we can have the water quality issue turned around and bring the lake back,” Hall said, referring to Lake Erie. The lake is particularly prone to algal blooms in part due to its shallow depth (allowing for it to be more easily warmed), and in part due to nutrient runoff from nearby farmland and industry.

     The bill would hopefully fund programs to implement better water treatment, while addressing the source of algal blooms. The House approved a similar bill in May, but the Senate did not.