By: Evin Bachelor, Law Fellow, Ohio State University Extension Agricultural & Resource Law Program
The Ohio Attorney General filed a motion in the Drewes Farm Partnership v. City of Toledo case seeking to intervene as a plaintiff alongside the Drewes Farm Partnership. The motion argues that the state of Ohio has a significant interest in the protection of Lake Erie, along with a significant interest in supporting Ohio’s agricultural, environmental, and natural resources laws.
The motion further argues that Toledo’s LEBOR charter amendment contradicts Ohio’s “multi-faceted statutory, regulatory, and civil and criminal enforcement programs that control water pollution,” along with the Ohio Constitution’s limitations on municipal authority. Prior to this motion to intervene, we had not seen an official statement or action by the State of Ohio regarding LEBOR, and this motion demonstrates that the state believes that LEBOR infringes on its rights.