Ohio EPA responds to anti-Semitism complaint

SANDUSKY — After four months, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has returned a records request concerning a former employee who reported concerns about anti-Semitism and public meeting safety. Kristopher Weiss worked for the state for over 20 years, spending about a decade with the Ohio EPA as a public outreach officer. During his tenure, Weiss said he faced anti-Semitism and began to fear for his own safety while on the job, particularly during public meetings. In October 2021, Weiss resigned. Weiss said since starting to work for the Ohio EPA, he's received anti-Semitic comments from the public or during public meetings. Those meetings, in which Weiss was often asked to handle large crowds alone in unfamiliar venues, were often contentious like issuing permits to regulate industries that pollute, like wastewater discharge or air emissions. "Under the best of circumstances, you're there by yourself with 400 angry people angry at the situation," Weiss said. "Starting in about 2016, I would have people tell me things like 'We don't want a Jew in our community running these meetings' (and) 'Hitler used fluoride to get the Jews to march into the ovens.'" While it's been a concern of his in the past, these fears were heightened after Dr. Amy Acton, Ohio's previous director of health faced armed protesters, and anti-Jewish slurs after supporting stay-at-home orders. Weiss said the Ohio EPA had refused to provide security at public hearings, despite multiple requests for police protection. Weiss said requests to move meetings from remote locations across the state — often lacking security measures like metal detectors or reliable cell service — to the more secure Ohio EPA central office in Columbus were also declined. Agency responds In response to Weiss's comments and the Register's story, Ohio EPA deputy communication director Heidi Griesmer said Ohio EPA takes the safety of its employees seriously and does not tolerate antisemitism. "Antisemitism is appalling, and (Ohio EPA) director (Laurie) Stevenson and her team are committed to protecting our employees from any type of ethnic or racial discrimination. Ohio EPA listens to employees' safety concerns and reasonably works to address them," Griesmer said. "It has been Ohio EPA's longstanding practice to assess the public safety needs of our employees who attend these public meetings, and we've always taken extra precautions around public meetings that are high profile or of a potentially controversial permitting matter." Ohio EPA is under regulatory obligations to allow the public to meet with agency representatives in in-person public forums. "If there is any specifically articulable reason to believe that there is the potential for verbal threats or physical violence at a particular meeting, Ohio EPA has and will request local law enforcement to provide security assistance," Griesmer said. "This determination is made on a case-by-case basis, and it is not based upon generalized assertions or generalized fears." Griesmer said there have been several actions taken by Ohio EPA concerning public meeting safety after learning about Weiss' concerns. Griesmer said the agency had revised its security protocol that lays out specific criteria that must be used to determine if law enforcement should be contacted to provide security support. The agency's security protocol requires staff to request security in writing in advance of public meetings. Staff must consider the type of meeting, "unique circumstances or historical challenges associated with a facility," specific complaints received, probably of large crowds, "specific threats or acts of intimidation directed at Ohio EPA, its staff, or individuals associated with the facility received directly or discovered via social media," previous meetings and other extenuating circumstances. "Upon determination that security is appropriate, Ohio EPA staff should further collaborate to implement this protocol to provide security at such public meetings," the protocol states. After the request, management will discuss the security request with Griesmer if security is necessary and notify staff prior to the meeting. Griesmer said the Ohio EPA has also hired a new safety manager. "Ohio EPA's safety manager visits meeting sites prior to each event and evaluates the need for any additional safety or security measures that will help ensure the safety of our staff," Griesmer said. "Throughout Ohio EPA's long history of conducting public meetings, we strive to create an environment that allows the public to participate and voice concerns and questions in a constructive way." Griesmer said the agency has also secured outside expertise to provide additional security training to staff whose job duties require them to attend public meetings due to Weiss voicing his concerns. "Ohio EPA has increased its regular communications with local law enforcement prior to public meetings, even when additional security is deemed not necessary so that officers are aware of when and where a public meeting is taking place," Griesmer said. "We remain committed to ensuring transparency with the public while balancing the safety needs of Ohio EPA employees." The Register on Monday received requested records from the Ohio EPA — email exchanges between Weiss and 21 other employees between June 1, 2021, and March 28, 2022. The emails requested related to "the Ohio EPA Public Involvement team raising concerns about safety issues at public meetings," the records request stated. "We also request all emails pertaining to concerns about internal and external anti-Semitism addressed in email exchanges." While the Register is still analyzing the several dozen documents from the records request, the emails show Weiss expressing his concerns, other employees requesting security at a number of public meetings, and being refused security for at least one meeting. Other emails show some staff was unaware there were specific criteria for security at public meetings at all.