None The Nature Conservancy in Ohio Press Releases Search All Press Releases Randy Edwards Phone: (614) 339-8110 E-mail: redwards@tnc.org

Campaign for the Clean Ohio Fund Launched

The Nature Conservancy urges Ohioans to vote yes in November

COLUMBUS, OHIO — July 31, 2008 — Renewal of the Clean Ohio Fund will create jobs and improve the quality of life for all Ohioans – without raising taxes, Gov. Ted Strickland said yesterday.

Governor Strickland, House Speaker Jon Husted and Senate President Bill Harris joined a bipartisan coalition of public officials, community leaders, sportsmen and conservationists on the lawn of the Ohio Statehouse to officially launch the campaign to earn voter approval of the popular conservation and environmental cleanup program.

The House and Senate approved, and the Governor signed, a bill to place an issue on the Nov. 4 ballot that, if approved, will provide a total of $400 million for the Clean Ohio Fund – $200 million to preserve wildlife habitat and farmland and provide recreational opportunities, and another $200 million to clean up polluted industrial sites.

Because Clean Ohio is funded through the sale of general revenue bonds, voter approval of this ballot issue will NOT raise taxes.

Steve Caminati, chairman of the campaign, said nearly every county in Ohio has benefitted from the Clean Ohio Fund, and urged all Ohioans to vote for the issue in November.

“This program has brought cleaner water, healthier cities, outdoor recreation opportunities and wildlife habitat to communities throughout Ohio,” said Caminati, assistant director of government relations for The Nature Conservancy in Ohio.

The Nature Conservancy was a strong supporter of the program when it was first approved in 2000, and continues to be a leader in promoting renewal of the program. The fund has built an impressive portfolio of results, including the protection of over 26,000 acres of wildlife habitat.

Designed as a comprehensive environmental protection and restoration tool for local communities, Clean Ohio has gone way beyond protecting publicly accessible natural areas.  It is helping neighborhoods renovate and reuse brownfields – which not only creates new jobs, but also puts them back on the local tax rolls to help fund schools and police protection.

While redeveloping brownfields, which helps relieve some pressure to develop natural and agricultural areas, Clean Ohio also has protected 20,000 acres of family farms, ensuring that some of the state’s best productive lands continue to provide crops.

Finally, Clean Ohio is providing thousands of Ohioans better access to recreational opportunities through the creation of over 210 miles of multi-purpose trails.  Here, hikers, bikers, runners, and rollerbladers can take alternative work commutes or enjoy a different perspective of the landscape while building a healthy lifestyle.

Due to the high demand for these kinds of projects throughout Ohio, the state is reaping incredible returns on its investment in the Clean Ohio Fund, with almost $2.6 billion in private investment leveraged through the program.

The success of the program explains why, in recent polling, 69 percent of Ohio voters, when informed about the issue, favor renewal of this program in November, Caminati said.

For more information, visit the Clean Ohio website at www.cleanohio.org.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.