Leaders urge Congress to focus on Ohio River

Story by Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District

New Philadelphia, Ohio — Legislation pending in Congress could bring new resources and strategies for job creation, recreation, commerce, and public drinking water across the Ohio River Basin.

The potential impact is highlighted by Craig Butler, executive director of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD), and also Dr. Chris Lorentz, of Thomas More University and chair of the Ohio River Basin Alliance (ORBA). The two leaders recently urged Congress to pass the bipartisan Ohio River Restoration Act and help move the region forward with the creation of the first coordinated federal restoration framework for the Ohio River Basin.

Thirty million Americans rely daily on the waters of the Ohio River Basin for drinking water, commerce, recreation, and economic development. Yet unlike other major watersheds such as the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay, the Ohio River Basin has never had a unified, federally supported restoration initiative, according to the MWCD.

“That gap must be closed,” Butler said. “The Ohio River Basin is one of the most economically and environmentally important regions in the country. The people who live in the region and who depend on it need the same level of coordinated federal commitment that other major watersheds receive.”

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The legislation, H.R. 5966, introduced by U.S. Representatives Morgan McGarvey of Kentucky and Erin Houchin of Indiana, would direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop a comprehensive, science-driven restoration framework for the basin and authorize up to $350 million annually for five years.

Companion legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Todd Young of Indiana.

The proposed initiative would address industrial and wastewater contamination, invasive species, flooding and failing water infrastructure – challenges that threaten both public health and economic vitality throughout the basin.

“Federal investment in large-scale watershed restoration consistently delivers strong returns,” Lorentz said. “In the Great Lakes region, every dollar invested generates more than three dollars in additional economic activity. Independent analysis estimates that a long-term restoration initiative in the Ohio River Basin could generate $1.7 trillion in ecological and economic benefits over 30 years.”

Nearly half of the population living within the Ohio River Basin resides in counties considered economically distressed or at risk. Strategic federal investment would modernize drinking water infrastructure, revitalize riverfront communities, expand tourism and outdoor recreation, and strengthen river-based commerce, particularly in Appalachia.

The legislation builds upon years of work by the Ohio River Basin Alliance, which has grown to more than 1,000 members across 15 states, and the recently launched Healthy Waters Coalition, now more than 120 organizations strong.

“This is not a partisan issue,” Butler said. “It is about water security, economic resilience, and long-term prosperity. Clean water and economic growth go hand in hand.”

Butler and Lorentz are urging members of Ohio’s congressional delegation, Republicans and Democrats alike, to co-sponsor and actively champion the Ohio River Restoration Act. Butler and Lorentz also called on governors, state legislators, business leaders, and local officials across the basin to publicly support the effort.

“Now is the moment,” Lorentz said. “If we want cleaner water, stronger communities, and sustained economic growth, Congress must act with urgency and unity. The Ohio River Basin deserves a coordinated federal restoration program, and this legislation is the critical first step.”