As workers remove debris and household trash from a Stimmel road site in southwest Franklin County, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director, Scott Nally, says work crews have a big job ahead.

“I mean you’re looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of 14,000 tons. It’s going to have to be separated. The solid waste material will have to be pulled back out of it. Some of the material will be obviously recycled. We’ll get a recuperated cost back on the recycled piece. But it’s just a lot of labor.” Says Nally

The illegal waste is piled about 20 feet high over an entire acre of ground. Heather Robinson of the Franklin County environmental crimes task force says a so called loophole in Ohio law allowed the trash to accumulate.

“The loopholes allow construction trash to sit on the ground. Whereas if this was regular household garbage it would have been illegal the first shovel full that hit the ground.” Says Robinson.

Robinson says it took surveillance to gain enough evidence to prosecute the owner of the dumpsite.

“We had to actually see the trash coming in. And, on one particular day while the deputies were here a load of trash actually was brought in and dumped onto the ground. And that was what we needed, that’s how we were able to file the charges.” Says Robinson.

Richard Fintak operated the dumpsite. He has since pleaded guilty to open dumping and other felony charges. He was sentenced to three years in prison after he failed to clean up the area.

Franklin County Health Commissioner, Susan Tilgner, says the Stimmel road site is the largest illegal dump found in Franklin County in the past 20 years. While the clean-up will cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars, Tilgner says it will also eliminate some health hazards.

“They also attract rodents and other kinds of animals that can spread disease. And also with these dumpsites, when it rains the water goes through these dumpsite and it can leach out contaminated chemicals that can get into the groundwater.” Says Tilgner.

The clean-up of the Stimmel road site will take about a month.

“We’re looking at what could possibly be a fairly significant problem in the state of Ohio.”

Ohio Department of Agriculture Director David Daniels says  about half of Ohio is abnormally dry.  So, state agency heads will confer with the Ohio Emergency Management Agency to draw up response plans.

“The crops are stressed right now. I think it’s evident as you drive down the road and take a look. Obviously, we’re going to see, we’re going to see some challenges yield wise if this weather pattern continues.”  Says Daniels.

The National Weather service says rainfall in Columbus was about two inches below normal in June. That makes for moderate drought conditions. But, northwest and northeast Ohio have more severe rainfall shortages. As officials monitor drier conditions,   Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director Scott Nally has already put tighter restrictions on open burning.

“What you don’t want to do is burn down a hayfield, or burn down a corn field or burn down you house.”  Says Nally.

Nally some streams and reservoirs are already at August levels and that poses another significant threat.

“Freshwater drinking water for a lot of small communities. Alot of them utilize surface water as part of their drinking water source.  And as these surface areas start to dry out over the summer it’s going to become a challenge. So we’re going to be reaching out to them and trying to come up with a plan B.” Nally says.

At the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, drought response plans will have to be updated. Division of Soil and Water Chief, Carl Gebhardt, says the agency might have to dust off plans from 1988,  an extremely dry summer.

“I know in 1988 and in past years there were some tough choices that had to be made. They’re never easy. It can affect business as far as those businesses that are dependent on water.”  Says Gebhardt

Gebhardt says ODNR will monitor Ohio streams and reservoirs weekly for the remainder of the summer. He notes that some cities and towns have already imposed lawn watering bans.