Environmental Lobby Day: Know the Issues

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Ohio Environmental Council

The OEC is Ohio’s most comprehensive, effective and respected environmental advocate for a healthier, more sustainable Ohio.

Our experts work daily to restore, protect, and strengthen the quality of life for families and communities—from the air we breathe and the water we drink to the food we eat and natural resources we enjoy.

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strengthen the quality of life for families and communities in Ohio.

Become a member today at www.theOEC.org.

The fo l low ing i s an overv iew o f Oh io ’s cu r ren t c lean energy law (SB 221) , abou t the energy marke t in the s ta te , and abou t SB 58 , wh ich a ims to gu t Oh io ’s cu r ren t

energy e f f i c iency and renewab le resources s tandards .

SB 58: The Fight for Ohio’s Clean Energy Future

Katy Shanahan, Clean Energy Campaigns Associate

Clean Energy

78%

11%

9%

1% 1%

Coal (77.87%)Nuclear (11%)Natural Gas (9%)Renewables (~1%)Fuel Oil (~1%)

Where Does Ohio Get Its Energy?

Clean Energy

Increase diversity in electricity portfolio (RE) Hedge against anticipated energy price increases

(EE) Create Jobs Save energy & save consumers money

Why Clean Energy Standards?

Clean Energy

Jobs created

Burgeoning energy market

Utility costs decreased

Cleaner environment

Positive Impacts of SB 221

Clean Energy

SB 58 would gut Ohio’s current energy efficiency and renewable resources standards.

Economic and environmental effects• Utility costs• Jobs and economic competiveness decrease• Detriment to environment

What is SB 58?

Recommendation for OGA

The Ask: Reject SB 58 and its companion bill HB 302 in their entirety as they are currently written.

During the last six years Ohio has made great strides in becoming a cleaner and healthier environment in which to live and removing our current energy efficiency and renewable resources standards would be detrimental to the progress the state has made.

Orphan Well Plugging and Geological Survey

Jack Shaner, OEC Deputy Director

Oil and gas extraction (“fracking”) poses many risks to the environment. Two easy but critical steps that lawmakers should take right away are to:

• Speed up the plugging of old, abandoned “orphan” oil and gas wells

• Step up the geological survey of underground water sources and fault lines before approving new oil and gas wells

Orphan Well Plugging

Thousands of old, improperly abandoned “orphan” oil and gas wells dot Ohio’s landscape.

Pose a number of threats to the

environment. Good news: Additional $1M to ODNR’s

Orphan Well Plugging Program.More good news: The Ohio House of

Representatives proposed additional

$3M for the program.

Orphan Well Plugging

Need more than funding. Since 1977, the ODNR has plugged 1,000 wells Establish an Orphan Well

Fund -- a "lockbox" that can only be used for plugging orphan wells

Require the ODNR to perform an inventory of orphan wells including the identification of any remaining responsible parties than can pay for the plugging of any wells that

they abandoned.

Geological Survey

Why it matters:

Scientists have confirmed earthquakes from oil and gas waste-water injection wells, but never from production wells.

The Ohio House has proposed $3M per fiscal year for ODNR Geological Survey.

The OEC is calling on lawmakers to immediately increase current funding by $1M.

Recommendation for OGA

The Ask: Reduce the risk of environmental impacts from past, present, and future oil + gas extraction (“fracking”) by:

A. Speeding up the efficient plugging of old, abandoned orphan wells

B. Stepping up pre-drilling geological surveys for new wells

Nutrient Pollution & Manure

Kristen Kubitza, Director of Water Policy & Outreach

• Environmental Impacts• Public Health Impacts• Recreation Impacts• Economic Costs

Nutrient Pollution In Ohio’s Waterways

Nutrient Pollution & Manure

Lake Erie, Grand Lake St. Mary’s, and beyond

Akron

Lima

Findlay

Clarmont Co.

Nutrient Pollution & Manure

Sources of Nutrient Pollution

Waste Water Treatment PlantsUrban Stormwater RunoffOpen Lake Disposal of Dredged

MaterialAgricultural Commercial FertilizerAgricultural Manure

Nutrient Pollution & Manure

Why Manure?

“Agricultural operations are a major source of phosphorus loadings into Lake Erie. These loadings result primarily from fertilizer application and manure. The bulk of this input occurs during spring snowmelt and heavy rainstorms, when significant amounts of phosphorus can be transported by runoff water.”

IJC, 2014

Recommendation for OGA

The Ask: Urge the Ohio General Assembly to pass legislation that ban’s the application of manure on frozen or snow covered ground.

Clean Ohio Fund

Jack Shaner, Deputy Director

Imagine a fund that can:• Conserve beautiful open space, ecologically sensitive

areas + stream corridors • Preserve family farmland• Build bicycle and walking trails• Clean up and revitalize old industrial sites

Imagine no more! It’s called the Clean Ohio Fund.

Clean Ohio Fund: 4 great programs

The Clean Ohio Fund is a state matching fund for land and water conservation projects. The Fund restores, protects, and connects Ohio's important natural and urban places by:

Conserving green space + stream corridorsPreserving family farmlandBuilding recreational trailsCleaning up old industrial brownfields

Clean Ohio Fund: a proven success

Some government programs only promise results. The Clean Ohio fund actually delivers results.

Since the voters first approved it in 2000, the Clean Ohio Fund has:

Conserved more than 26,000 acres of open space Preserved 40,000 acres of prime farmland Built more than 200 miles of family-friendly trails Cleaned up 400 old industrial sites Benefited all Ohio with projects in all 88 counties

Clean Ohio Fund: a positive ROI

The Clean Ohio Fund is not only good for Mother Nature. It’s also good for jobs and the economy.

$800M in Clean Ohio investment has leveraged an additional $2.6B in total economic impact

Clean Ohio Fund bonds do not raise taxes. Each $25M in bonds requires only $2.3M in debt service.

The Clean Ohio Fund is helping build a cleaner, greener, more sustainable Ohio – helping make Ohio a more attractive place to start a business, grow a family, and enjoy the great outdoors.

Recommendation for the OGA

Governor John Kasich has just proposed $100M in Clean Ohio Funds over the next 2 years – the maximum amount allowed by Ohio law!

The Ask: Please support Gov. Kasich’s proposal in the Capital Budget Bill (HB 497) to invest $100M in the Clean Ohio Fund:

$75M for conserving green space $12.5M for preserving family farmland $12.5M for building recreational trails

Lobbying Tips

Tips for effective lobbying.

1) Remember lawmakers are human beings

2) Be on time

3) Press for commitment

4) Be a good listener

5) Say thank you

Brian Kaiser, Director of Green Jobs & Innovation

OEC’s Advocacy toolkit: www.theOEC.org

Q & A - Feedback

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