Ohio Plans to Regulate Farm Runoff to Reduce Algal Blooms (1)

Ohio regulators plan to tighten regulation of farm manure and fertilizer runoff that spurs Lake Erie’s harmful algae blooms, reversing years of past policy when the control measures were mostly voluntary.

In a draft report issued Thursday, the state said it will work with federal regulators to create a “total maximum daily load” (TMDL) for phosphorus and implement rules to limit the nutrient pollution in Lake Erie’s western basin, which is plagued by annual massive algae blooms that devastate the tourism industry and endanger water for more than 500,000 people.

The blooms thrive in hotter temperatures and with exposure ...