I need your help to convince Governor Taft to veto HB 152 , the bad megafarm bill! The Governor will make a decision about HB 152 in the next week. Please call the Governor's office, ask for Kate Bartter, and tell her that you strongly urge the Governor to veto HB 152 because:

-- Local governments should have the authority to prevent disease and nuisance from factory farms. If we erode that right in this case, where do we draw the line?
-- The amendment didn't receive anything like a fair hearing. The Senate held one public hearing, at which the amendment was offered and the House held no hearings before passing the bill
-- HB 152 establishes a terrible precedent -- if a polluter finally gets closed down due to environmental violations, the industry just changes the rules, rather than changing their behavior.

Call the Governor at 614-466-3555 or 614-644-HELP. Please email Bryan Clark Bryan.Clark@sierraclub.org after you make the call so that he can track our actions and keep a record of any feedback you receive.

Here's the update:

Last Friday, several groups met with staff of the Governor's office and ODNR regarding HB 152. Highlights include the following:

-- Skeptical about the need for local control of factory farms in general
-- Do admit that local governments currently have the authority to regulate farms; however, since no one has used local power over the farms to date, they are willing to see the authority given up
-- Think we have been "disingenuous" in the press re: consideration of the amendment in the Senate/House
-- Governor has requested added level of oversight and investigation of this bill
-- Our actions are getting to them -- especially letters to the editor, editorials, and calls.