(Toledo, OH) The U.S. EPA is being ordered to get to work on stopping future algae blooms on Lake Erie.
A federal judge ordered the agency Thursday to enforce the Clean Water Act and aggressively reduce the nutrient pollution that's blamed for toxic algae. Toledo and Lucas County officials recently asked the U.S. EPA to declare Lake Erie an impaired waterway, which brings federal resources to bear in the cleanup.
An environmental group also sued the feds to force action, saying the current voluntary approach to keeping algae out of the lake isn't working. The rules should change with the judge's ruling this week.