From the Hackett for Congress campaign:

HACKETT CALLS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR
The Benefits are Too Great to Not Take Action Now.

OHIO RIVER – Arriving in a canoe after a six mile paddle with the President of Rivers Unlimited and the Chair of the Ohio Sierra Club, Paul Hackett, Candidate for Congress, again proved that he does not just talk the talk, he walks the walk . . . or paddles it . . . as the case may be.

“The value of the Ohio River is not something we could ever have invented or created on our own. It’s a natural gift and resource that we must turn into an economic driver,” said Hackett. “As your Congressman, I will work to develop an Ohio River Economic Corridor in our District by compelling federal officials to open their eyes to the economic benefit of enforcing existing laws and cleaning up pollution now.”

USEPA studies of the Clean Air Act have shown benefits can exceed the costs by a ratio of 40 to 1. Those same types of benefits could be possible on the Ohio River Economic Development Corridor.

“That number is simply staggering,” said Hackett. “For every dollar invested in our river, we could see $40 in economic benefit. Even at a 4 to 1 ratio the economic benefits of getting this done immediately are too great to not take action now.”

“Let’s clean the river. Upgrade the sewer system and keep the sewage in the pipes. As your Congressman, I will demand that we do it right the first time,” Hackett stated. “We enjoy going to beaches, parks, lakes and rivers. But let’s be honest, no one would go to see Old Faithful if it spouted sewage.”

Five of the seven counties in the 2nd District touch the Ohio River, however every county has a natural water economic resource. And these rural counties have an even greater potential to develop economic value.

“As far as I know, no politician – or candidate for that matter- has ever looked at the natural resource of our river system as an economic driver,” said Rivers Unlimited President Mike Fremont.

“The economic benefits and improved quality of life are so high that we can no longer wait to take action. By making a few common sense decisions, we can set the stage for an attractive and thriving Ohio River Economic Corridor,” Hackett finished.

Hackett, 43, enjoys canoeing, hunting, and the outdoors, especially with his wife and three children. Hackett is a Iraqi Freedom Veteran who returned to Ohio on March 18th of this year and is now seeking the nod as the Congressman from Ohio’s 2nd District in the Special Election on August 2nd.