John Kasich on Environment Republican Governor; previously Representative (OH-12); 2000 & 2016 candidate for President

Eliminate NOAA; let DOI safeguard natural resources

Certain key missions including economic development, natural resources and trade enforcement would be markedly improved by better aligning the federal agencies performing these functions. Many other functions can be shrunk and sent back to the states.

Consolidate Stewardship of Natural Resources: Almost half of the Commerce Department's budget goes to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which includes the National Weather Service and its satellites, and the National Hurricane Center. These and other efforts align closely with the work of the Department of Interior to preserve and safeguard America's natural resources and, after a review to eliminate duplication, would be moved there.

Properly balance environmental stewardship and job creation

Reduce Erie pollution with tougher fertilizer regulations

Since 2011, Ohio has spent more than $3 billion to keep Lake Erie clean. However, Gov. John Kasich says they're still not on target to greatly reduce the amount of phosphorus getting into Lake Erie.

Kasich ensures that this isn't meant to be over-regulation, but a way to spell out what needs to be done to help Lake Erie. "This is just requiring farmers to figure out a way to manage their land in a more environmentally friendly way. I believe the farmers want to do that. Sometimes some of them don't know exactly what that means so to put a plan in place where we can help fund them on whatever it takes to do that makes a lot of sense," Kasich says. But Ohio's agriculture industry opposes this move, seeing it as government overreach.

Mandate best practices to reduce farm fertilizer runoff

In the past five years, the General Assembly has passed several pieces of legislation that address the issue of farmland runoff. The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation says they supported those bills and were included in the process. But for this executive order, the farm bureau says the Kasich administration didn't seek their input.

In May, Kasich threatened to take this kind of unilateral action on the issue, saying the western basin of the lake, where toxic algae blooms have developed, is impaired. But Republicans in the legislature say they're opposed to the executive order because they feel this should be addressed by the House and Senate.

$2.5B invested in cleaning Lake Erie, and keep it clean

And we're investing a lot in our lake--Randy Gardner is always on top of that--and our coastal resources to make the water cleaner and keep it that way. About two and half billion dollars have been invested in Lake Erie since the start of the Administration. Yes, we want to make it cleaner, and we aim to keep it clean. And I hope those that come after me will realize this is the great, great jewel of the state of Ohio, and that's the great Lake Erie.

These are investments in water and natural resources, the quality of life, but of course they're also an investment in economic growth because we know that when we take care of the world around us it becomes another reason for job creators to want to put down roots here and want to grow.

We should not worship environment like pantheists

Strengthen Clean Water Act; increase federal grazing fees

Kasich indicates support of the following principles regarding America's environment and natural resources.
• Require the federal government to reimburse citizens when environmental regulations limit use of privately owned lands.
• Strengthen the Clean Water Act.
• Utilize cost-benefit analysis to determine economic impacts of proposed environmental protection and cleanup legislation.
• Increase fees charged to ranchers who graze cattle on federal lands.

Manage the environment to bequest it to future

Environment and economy are not at odds

Devolve enviro policy-making to State and community

Examples of local enviro policy successes