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A RESOLUTION expressing support for the Ohio River Restoration Program Act 1
to advance clean water, economic development, community stability, and expanded 2
recreation opportunities in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. 3
WHEREAS, the Ohio River watershed spans 15 states and provides drinking water, 4
economic activity, and recreation for more than 30 million people, approximately one in 5
every 10 Americans; and 6
WHEREAS, 97 percent of Kentucky lies within the Ohio River basin, and the river 7
forms approximately 664 miles of the Commonwealth’s northern border, more than any 8
other state, making the health of the river and its tributaries essential to Kentucky 9
communities, infrastructure, and economic activity; and 10
WHEREAS, the Ohio River and its tributaries provide drinking water for millions 11
of Kentuckians and support the vast majority of the Commonwealth’s public water 12
systems; and 13
WHEREAS, the Ohio River basin underpins a substan tial portion of Kentucky’s 14
economy, supporting manufacturing, agriculture, energy production, and commercial 15
navigation that moves hundreds of millions of tons of cargo each year and sustains 16
thousands of jobs in the Commonwealth; and 17
WHEREAS, Kentucky’s o utdoor recreation and tourism economy, including 18
fishing, hunting, boating, paddling, and wildlife viewing, generates approximately $11.2 19
billion annually in economic activity and supports thousands of jobs in river and rural 20
communities across the Commonwealth; and 21
WHEREAS, investments in watershed restoration across the United States have 22
consistently produced strong economic returns, with studies estimating $3 to $6 in 23
economic benefits for every $1 invested, and as much as $18 in benefits for every $1 24
invested in flood resilience, through reduced water treatment costs, increased tourism, 25
improved infrastructure resilience, and enhanced property values; and 26
WHEREAS, the Ohio River basin provides critical natural infrastructure that 27
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reduces flooding, suppo rts fish and wildlife habitat, and strengthens the long -term 1
resilience of Kentucky communities facing increasing economic and environmental 2
challenges; and 3
WHEREAS, despite its importance, the Ohio River basin remains the largest 4
watershed in the United States without a dedicated federal restoration program, even as 5
similar initiatives in the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay have delivered substantial 6
economic, ecological, and public health benefits; and 7
WHEREAS, the federal Ohio River Restoration Program Act would establish the 8
Ohio River Basin Restoration Program to improve water quality, restore fish and wildlife 9
habitat, reduce flood risk, address invasive s pecies and toxic contamination, and expand 10
recreation, workforce development, and community revitalization across the basin; and 11
WHEREAS, the program would operate as a collaborative, nonregulatory 12
partnership, providing federal resources to support state, local, nonprofit, and 13
community-led restoration projects without creating new permitting requirements or 14
regulatory authorities; and 15
WHEREAS, Kentucky stands to benefit from coordinated restoration investments 16
through improved drinking water quality, lowe r water treatment costs, revitalized 17
riverfront communities, enhanced fisheries and wildlife habitat, expanded outdoor 18
recreation opportunities, and strengthened long -term economic development and 19
community stability; 20
NOW, THEREFORE, 21
Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 22
Kentucky: 23
Section 1. The Senate hereby expresses its support for House Resolution 5966 24
and Senate Bill 3796, the Ohio River Restoration Program Act, and recognizes the 25
importance of restoring and protecting the Ohio River Basin to safeguard Kentucky’s 26
drinking water, strengthen the Commonwealth’s economy, expand outdoor recreation and 27
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tourism, and promote long-term prosperity and resilience for Kentucky communities. 1
Section 2. The Clerk of the Senate is directed to transmit a copy of this 2
Resolution to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority 3
Leader of the United States Senate, and each member of the Kentucky congressional 4
delegation. 5