Hello OEHA Membership,

I wanted to provide you with an update on HB 96 – Ohio’s Biennial Budget. As you know, OEHA has been working behind the scenes over the past few months providing testimony to the legislature on our priority issues. After the legislature approved their version of the bill, there were two HSTS-related issues remaining in the budget that reached the Governor’s desk that were of concern to OEHA. As such, we formally made a request to Governor Mike DeWine to use his line-item veto authority to strike these provisions from the bill.

We are pleased to announce that Governor DeWine granted our request and issued line-item vetoes of these provisions.

Household Sewage Treatment System Soil and Slope Inspection

This provision would prohibit the Ohio Department of Health from adopting rules requiring a soil evaluator or soil scientist to evaluate the soil type and slope for the installation of Household Treatment Sewage Systems (HSTS). Soil evaluation is a vital part of designing HSTS, ensuring the right system is installed in the best location. Certified soil scientists provide detailed, property-specific reports that identify soil conditions accurately. Without accurate soil evaluations, the longevity and effectiveness of home septic systems will be greatly reduced, leading to improper waste discharge and additional expenses for homeowners due to costly repairs. Therefore, a veto of this item is in the public interest.

Statistical Methods for Evaluating Sewage Treatment System Compliance

This item would create an increased burden on sewage treatment system manufacturers by requiring currently approved technologies to conform to new standards. The new standards would increase the regulatory burden on businesses and may create a barrier for existing and new sewage treatment product manufacturers to enter the Ohio market.  Additionally, the language as proposed may result in the approval of certain systems that have not been proven to effectively treat water. The Ohio Department of Health has already developed appropriate standards with the Sewage Treatment System Technical Advisory Committee, including industry representatives, for the evaluation of sewage treatment system compliance to ensure safe and effective systems to protect the public from poor water quality. Therefore, a veto of this item is in the public interest.

I would like to personally thank Tony Brigano and Lauren Strope from Hicks Partners for their leadership, as well as Eric Cherry and the Sewage Technical Committee for their expertise.

In Service,
Courtney Myers, MPH, REHS
OEHA President