Columbus, OH — The Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) Action Fund hosted elected officials representing Central Ohio communities at a press conference on Tuesday to highlight the need for critical investments in public water systems, clean energy projects and green infrastructure. As the United States Congress continues to debate the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill (Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) and complementary budget resolution to enact President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, Columbus City Council and Reynoldsburg City Council members convened to demonstrate their support for strong policies and funding to equitably address climate change while creating new good-paying jobs.
“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to pass the most important climate legislation in American history, making critical investments in clean energy and green infrastructure,” said Heather Taylor-Miesle, President of the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund. “We urge Senators Portman and Brown as well as Congresswoman Beatty to press hard for funding in the budget reconciliation that brings about greater environmental justice, eliminates lead in drinking water, and bolsters clean energy jobs in Ohio. An overwhelming majority of Ohioans support Congressional action on climate change, and there is no better time to act than now.”
After months of debate, the US Senate passed the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill earlier this month that places climate action at the center, alongside making our economy more sustainable and resilient. Its passage in the Senate came shortly after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued its latest report demonstrating the dire need to reduce carbon pollution if humans are to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
“For far too long, marginalized communities have borne the brunt of climate change and they have been pushed aside in the transition to a clean energy economy. But with this legislation, we have a chance to change that,” said Columbus City Council President Pro Tem Elizabeth Brown. “Economic and environmental justice go hand-in-hand, which is why infrastructure funding that puts people, their health and their economic future at the center is so critically important.”
The bill includes funding for clean up of polluted areas, public transit, drinking water, electric grid modernization, clean energy, electric school buses, and home weatherization. Guarantees to ensure jobs created are good-paying union jobs are present throughout the bipartisan infrastructure bill as well as the budget resolution that will soon go through a reconciliation process to finalize funding amounts and program specifics.
“Columbus has taken huge strides in spurring the clean energy economy that supports businesses and workers. For example, the Clean Energy Columbus program is investing in wind and solar projects being built right here in Ohio,” said Columbus City Councilmember Emmanuel Remy. “With the bump in federal dollars coming to Central Ohio, we’ll be able to ramp up these efforts even more leading to an even longer-term sustainable and equitable economy.”
President Biden’s plan to invest in solar infrastructure and renewable energy innovation will create new manufacturing jobs in Ohio businesses. Ohio is already home to 103,437 jobs in the clean energy sector, including generating clean renewable energy and improving energy efficiency. The plan also invests in critical water infrastructure.
“Investing in public drinking water just makes sense for the health of our communities, and the need for funding to fix aging water infrastructure is always growing,” said Reynoldsburg City Councilmember Shanette Strickland. “The President’s Build Back Better plan will fill some of this critical need, and we need to continue to work towards long-term sustainable funding to ensure lead-free drinking water for our children, and to protect our local waterways from sewage overflows.”
The American Society of Civil Engineers recently rated Ohio’s wastewater infrastructure with a C- and our stormwater and drinking water infrastructure with a D+. The report cited the need for additional investments to address new water quality challenges and to increase infrastructure reliability and resilience. The infrastructure package would allocate $55 billion dollars for water infrastructure and water quality improvements, including replacing lead pipes and reducing emerging contaminants in drinking water.
The legislation also invests $5 billion in zero emission and clean buses, reducing diesel emissions as well as spurring the domestic manufacturing of electric vehicles (EV) and components. An additional $7.5 billion will go to establish a national network of EV chargers across the US.
“The good news is, climate solutions that accelerate our transition to clean energy and transportation options all have immediate health benefits for Ohio’s kids,” said Reynoldsburg City Councilmember Bhuwan Pyakurel. “Our time to act on climate is now, for the sake of our kids’ current and future well-being.”
For a livestream of the press conference, please click here.
###
Pictured left to right: Reynoldsburg City Councilmember Shanette Strickland, artist Jan Solari, Reynoldsburg City Councilmember Bhuwan Pyakurel, Columbus City Councilmember Emmanuel Remy, Columbus City Council President Pro Tem Elizabeth Brown, and OEC Fund President Heather Taylor-Miesle.
The Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) Action Fund is committed to protecting and enhancing the environment and the health of all Ohio communities. We will continue to fight for Ohio’s access to clean water, healthy air, vibrant public lands and a strong democracy. Learn more at www.theoecactionfund.org.