Lawmakers Approve Overhaul Of Ohio Lake Erie Commission

Environmental regulators who pledged to drastically cut what's feeding the toxic algae in Lake Erie will consolidate state oversight of the work to help make sure money is well spent and research isn't overlapping. The proposal approved by the legislature will put the Ohio Lake Erie Commission in charge of seeing that the state reaches its goal of a 40 percent reduction of phosphorus going into western Lake Erie within the next 10 years.  Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario have pledged to make the same reduction. Environmental groups say the voluntary efforts being encouraged to address algae blooms won't do the job.