{"id":1095,"date":"2011-01-16T09:12:47","date_gmt":"2011-01-16T16:12:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/?p=1095"},"modified":"2011-01-19T10:26:32","modified_gmt":"2011-01-19T17:26:32","slug":"state-officials-briefed-in-on-grand-lake-st-marys-situation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/2011\/01\/16\/state-officials-briefed-in-on-grand-lake-st-marys-situation\/","title":{"rendered":"State officials given lake information"},"content":{"rendered":"

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DAVE MOSIER\/independent editor<\/em><\/p>\n

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State officials (from the left) Ohio Agriculture Director James Zehringer, Ohio EPA Director Scott Nally and Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director David Mustine take questions during a news conference held Friday at Wright State University\u2019s Lake Campus. Photos by Dave Mosier\/Van Wert independent<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

CELINA \u2013 Just four days after being sworn in by Governor John Kasich, the directors of three state agencies were in Celina to underscore the governor\u2019s commitment to deal with the algae bloom problem on Grand Lake St. Marys.<\/p>\n

Ohio Director of Agriculture James Zehringer had the shortest trip, since he lives just down the road in Fort Recovery. He was joined by Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director Scott Nally and Department of Natural Resources Director David Mustine for a briefing held at Wright State University\u2019s Lake Campus detailing what the Grand Lake St. Marys Restoration Committee seeks to do to deal with the problem.<\/p>\n

The three directors, along with Mercer County Economic Development Director Jared Ebbing, a representative of the Grand Lake St. Marys Restoration Committee, and State Representative Keith Faber, later held a meeting with media representatives to provide comments on the briefing and what could be the next steps in the process.<\/p>\n

The three state officials, who were sworn in January 10 by Governor Kasich, indicated their commitment to taking action on the issue, while Faber said he was pleased with the quick action by Governor Kasich to honor a commitment he made during the gubernatorial campaign to solve the lake\u2019s problems.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen John was campaigning, he came here and saw first-hand the impact on Grand Lake St. Marys and the community,\u201d Faber said, \u201cand he made a commitment \u2026 that this would be a priority for the new Kasich administration.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I don\u2019t know how you get much more priority, as a state legislator, than to see the three directors \u2013 and really the four agencies that are directly impacted on this \u2013 coming in literally the first week they\u2019re in office to talk to the interested parties about what needs to be done to fix Grand Lake St. Marys,\u201d Faber added.<\/p>\n

All three state directors were provided with a strategic plan outlining steps needed to deal with the algae bloom problem.<\/p>\n

Those priorities include the following:<\/p>\n