|
|
To enact section 901.50 of the Revised Code to grant | 1 |
the Director of Agriculture exclusive authority to | 2 |
regulate invasive plant species. | 3 |
Section 1. That section 901.50 of the Revised Code be | 4 |
enacted to read as follows: | 5 |
Sec. 901.50. (A) "Invasive plant species" means plant | 6 |
species that are not native to this state whose introduction | 7 |
causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or | 8 |
harm to human health as determined by scientific studies. | 9 |
"Invasive plant species" does not include cultivated plants grown | 10 |
as food or livestock feed in accordance with generally accepted | 11 |
agricultural practices, including all plants authorized by the | 12 |
animal and plant health inspection service in the United States | 13 |
department of agriculture. | 14 |
(B) Except as provided in division (C) of this section, the | 15 |
director of agriculture has sole and exclusive authority to | 16 |
regulate invasive plant species in this state, including the | 17 |
identification of invasive plant species and establishment of | 18 |
prohibited activities regarding them. The director may adopt rules | 19 |
in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to administer | 20 |
this section. | 21 |
(C) Nothing in this section precludes the director of | 22 |
environmental protection from continuing to consider the existence | 23 |
of invasive plant species when evaluating applications and permits | 24 |
for impacts to or mitigation and monitoring of wetlands that are | 25 |
subject to regulation under Chapter 6111. of the Revised Code and | 26 |
rules adopted under it, including using a list of invasive plant | 27 |
species compiled by that director. However, upon the taking effect | 28 |
of any rules adopted by the director of agriculture under division | 29 |
(B) of this section, the director of environmental protection | 30 |
shall use the list of invasive plant species established in those | 31 |
rules when conducting the activities described in this division. | 32 |