As used in sections 1522.10 to 1522.30 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Baseline facility" means a facility identified in the baseline report or a facility added to the baseline report under section 1522.16 of the Revised Code.

(B) "Baseline facility abandonment" means the voluntary and affirmative termination of a baseline facility's withdrawal and consumptive use capacity as listed in the baseline report. "Baseline facility abandonment" does not include the nonuse or the transfer of a baseline facility's withdrawal and consumptive use capacity unless either of the following applies:

(1) The nonuse continues for fifteen consecutive years for a facility with a potential withdrawal from Lake Erie or a recognized navigational channel and the nonuse is not extended in accordance with division (B) of section 1522.16 of the Revised Code.

(2) For a facility to which division (B)(1) of this section does not apply, the nonuse continues for thirty-six consecutive months and is not extended in accordance with division (B) of section 1522.16 of the Revised Code.

(C) "Baseline report" means a list of the withdrawal and consumptive use capacities of facilities that was developed for purposes of Section 4.12 of the great lakes-st. Lawrence river basin water resources compact by the department of natural resources and submitted to the great lakes-st. Lawrence river basin water resources council on December 8, 2009.

(D) "Capacity" means the ability of a facility's pumps, pipes, and other appurtenances to withdraw water presented in terms of withdrawal capacity, treatment capacity, distribution capacity, or other capacity-limiting factors.

(E) "Compact" means the great lakes-st. Lawrence river basin water resources compact set forth in section 1522.01 of the Revised Code.

(F) "Consumptive use" has the same meaning as in section 1522.01 of the Revised Code. For purposes of determining a new or increased capacity for consumptive use, "consumptive use" is the use based on a coefficient of consumptive use generally accepted in the scientific community that most accurately reflects the process at a facility or the use based on facility specific data, whichever is more accurate.

(G) "Diversion" has the same meaning as in section 1522.01 of the Revised Code.

(H) "Facility" means any site, installation, or building at which water withdrawal and consumptive use activities take place or are proposed to take place, that is located at a property or on contiguous properties . "Facility" includes any site, installation, building, or service area of a public water system at or within which water withdrawal and consumptive use activities take place.

(I) "Facility abandonment" means the voluntary and affirmative termination of a facility's withdrawal and consumptive use capacity as listed in a withdrawal and consumptive use permit issued under section 1522.12 of the Revised Code. "Facility abandonment" does not include the nonuse or the transfer of a facility's withdrawal and consumptive use capacity unless either of the following applies:

(1) The nonuse continues for fifteen consecutive years for a facility with a potential withdrawal from Lake Erie or a recognized navigational channel and the nonuse is not extended in accordance with division (B) of section 1522.16 of the Revised Code.

(2) For a facility to which division (I)(1) of this section does not apply, the nonuse continues for thirty-six consecutive months and is not extended in accordance with division (B) of section 1522.16 of the Revised Code.

(J) "High quality water" means a river or stream segment that has been designated by the environmental protection agency under Chapter 3745-1 of the Administrative Code as an exceptional warm water habitat, cold water habitat, outstanding state water, or superior high-quality water.

(K) "Increased capacity" does not include any capacity that results from alterations or changes made at a facility that replace existing capacity without increasing the capacity of the facility.

(L) "Public water system" has the same meaning as in section 6109.01 of the Revised Code.

(M) "Recognized navigation channel" means that portion of a river or stream extending from bank to bank that is a direct tributary of Lake Erie and that, as of September 4, 2012, is a state or federally maintained navigation channel.

(N) "River or stream" means a body of water running or flowing, either continually or intermittently, on the earth's surface or a channel in which such flow occurs.

(O) "Water" means ground or surface water contained within the basin of the Lake Erie source watershed.

(P) "Aquifer," "cone of depression," "ground water," "hydrologic study area," "well," "well field," and "withdrawal area" have the same meanings as in section 1521.01 of the Revised Code.

Amended by 133rd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 166, §101.01, eff. 10/17/2019.

Added by 129th General AssemblyFile No.108, HB 473, §1, eff. 9/4/2012.