Lake Erie Water Measure Goes To Ohio Gov.

(Columbus, Oh-WWJ) A proposal to allow factories to siphon off more water from Lake Erie is sailing through Ohio's legislature, despite opposition from environmentalists and two former governors.

The state Senate and House approved slightly different versions of the measure and sent them to the desk of Republican Gov. John Kasich., even though the former head of the state's department of natural resources said it would give Ohio the weakest water protections of any Great Lakes state.

Former governors Bob Taft and George Voinovich also spoke out against the measure, saying it would harm Lake Erie. But supporters say it will be good for business.

Under the plan, businesses would be able to take an average of five million gallons of Lake Erie water per day over a 90-day period, and two million gallons from rivers feeding into the lake.

One legislative supporter put it this way: "You get more people to relocate to northeast Ohio, they'll go boating on Lake Erie."

(Copyright 2011, WWJ Newsradio 950. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press Contributed To This Story.)