Ohio Lake Erie Commission releases 2023 plan to protect Lake Erie

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission approved its 2023 Lake Erie Protection & Restoration Plan (LEPR) at its June quarterly meeting.

The LEPR, last published in 2020, reflects actions that the Ohio Lake Erie Commission and its member agencies will undertake over the next two years to protect, preserve and restore the Great Lake and promote economic development for the region. The state’s actions complement federal and local partners’ initiatives in the Lake Erie basin and across the region.

The Plan is organized into nine broad priority areas that address current and emerging issues in the Ohio Lake Erie basin. Included in the plan are initiatives focusing on nonpoint source pollution reduction, invasive species prevention and management and recreational use and tourism. The 2023 LEPR Plan identifies accomplishments made under the priority areas since the last LEPR Plan was adopted.

The Commission worked with partner agencies and the public to prepare the 2023 LEPR Plan. Since 1992, the Commission has prepared Lake Erie Protection & Restoration Plans to set goals, objectives and priorities for Commission work. The 2023 LEPR Plan is available on the Ohio Lake Erie Commission website at https://lakeerie.ohio.gov/planning-and-priorities/01-protection-and-res….

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission was established for the purpose of preserving Lake Erie's natural resources, protecting the quality of its waters and ecosystem and promoting economic development in the region. The director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) serves as the commission's chairman.

Additional members include the directors of the state departments of Transportation, Health, Development, Agriculture, Natural Resources and seven additional members of the public appointed by the governor.

For further information on the Commission and supporting the Lake Erie Protection Fund, please visit the Commission website at lakeerie.ohio.gov.