Not Encouraging For Supporters

Tuesday was the last day for public comments on AquaBounty’s Water Withdrawal and Consumptive Use Permit application…most comments were negative. So far, around 455 comments had been submitted electronically to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The last response was given on Feb. 18. The ODNR website has 89 pages of scanned, write-in comments, all in opposition to the project. They also received a 117-page report from Jim Rupp and signed by many other residents of the Lake Pioneer area against the project. Rupp also submitted the report electronically. It’s all posted online. AquaBounty…which intends to set up a facility in Pioneer to produce genetically modified salmon, using up to over five million gallons of water a day from the local aquifer…will have one week to respond to the comments. A decision on the permit is expected in the coming weeks.