Urge Congress to enact the Ohio River Restoration Program Act
HCR40 is a concurrent resolution urging the U.S. Congress to approve federal legislation creating the Ohio River Restoration Program Act. The resolution frames the Ohio River as a critical natural, economic, and public health resource for Ohio, noting its role as the state’s southern border, its watershed’s large share of Ohio land, and its importance to commerce, recreation, and ecosystems. It also cites concerns about water quality degradation, harmful algal blooms, toxic contamination, flooding, and aging infrastructure.
The resolution supports federal bills H.R. 5966 and S. 3796, which would establish a restoration program for the Ohio River Basin. According to the resolution, that program would aim to improve water quality, increase flood resiliency, restore habitats, control invasive species, remediate toxic substances, expand public access and recreation, and improve outreach and education. The measure is a formal request from the Ohio General Assembly to Ohio’s congressional delegation rather than a change to Ohio law itself.
HCR40 does not amend Ohio statutes or create state regulatory requirements. Its legal effect is limited to expressing the General Assembly’s position and directing the House Clerk to transmit the resolution to Ohio’s congressional delegation. The practical impact is political and advocacy-oriented: it seeks to influence federal action on river restoration, with potential downstream effects on water quality, habitat restoration, flood mitigation, public health, recreation, and economic activity in the Ohio River Basin if the federal legislation is enacted.
The overall sentiment around the resolution appears strongly supportive and bipartisan. The bill text explicitly states that the federal companion bills have been introduced with wide bipartisan support, and the House adoption suggests agreement with the resolution’s goals. The tone of the measure is affirmative and promotional, emphasizing environmental protection, economic benefits, and public health improvements rather than controversy.
No committee testimony or vote record is provided, and the resolution itself does not identify opponents. The main policy emphasis is on the need for federal investment in restoration, while the implicit counterpoint is the cost or scope of such federal action, though that concern is not directly raised in the available materials. The resolution’s supporters appear to be members of the Ohio House backing environmental cleanup, flood resilience, and economic development tied to the Ohio River Basin.