135th Ohio General Assembly
SB 275 Proponent Testimony
Proponent Testimony
Ohio Senate Bill 275 (Dolan)
Ohio Senate Energy & Public Utilities Committee
November 12, 2024
Good morning Chair Reineke, Vice Chair McColley, Ranking Member Smith, and members of the Ohio Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee. I am Nolan Rutschilling, Managing Director of Energy Policy for the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund (OEC Action Fund).
Our organization works for a clean, healthy Ohio where our democracy empowers all
communities to thrive in harmony with the environment. Thank you for allowing me to provide proponent testimony on Ohio Senate Bill 275 (SB 275).
SB 275 takes an important step to diversify our electric grid and ensure Ohioans have a clean, affordable and reliable energy system. By establishing the definition of Virtual Net Metering, SB 275 expands the ability of businesses and public institutions to generate their own electricity, allowing them to pursue cost savings without restrictions around adjacent land. This modest change allows commercial customers to use electricity generated anywhere within the service territory of the electric distribution utility where the customer is located, as long as the property fits the distinctions within the bill. This will increase distributed generation in Ohio, improving our grid reliability and increasing access to clean energy and storage systems. Particularly of benefit is the value this legislation could bring to public institutions, hospitals, and nonprofits who have limited land but seek out distributed generation as a cost savings tool or to meet their energy goals.
We do have a few suggestions to increase the impact of the legislation. First, we support modifications to the agricultural land restrictions, to better allow Ohioans to make their own decisions regarding responsible development of their property. Second, the OEC Action Fund has some suggestions for additional land use types to be added to the eligibility criteria (under Sec. 4928.676 E). We recommend adding eligibility for development on land owned by metropolitan housing authorities (MHAs). This land use is similar to that of land banks, but with a focus on affordable access to housing and energy. Allowing Virtual Net Metering projects on MHA properties will allow affordable housing organizations to generate revenue for their organizations or offer generation to correctly metered housing projects.
We also recommend expanding the definition of eligible land types to include “An energy
community under 26 U.S.C. § 45(b)(11)(B)(iii)1 that is within a census tract, or adjoining census tract, with a closed coal mine or retired coal-fired power plant.” This addition allows communities who are impacted by the energy transition to receive benefits from Virtual Net Metering projects, similar to the existing language in the legislation that allows projects on property affected by subsidence from mining. We consider this addition crucial to provide support to energy communities that previously relied on coal plants for jobs and community tax income.
Overall, Senate Bill 275 is a responsible step forward for energy reliability and affordability in Ohio. The OEC Action Fund urges passage of SB 275. Ohio has been a leader in energy choice for decades, allowing Ohioans to select where their energy comes from and what type of energy to use. This legislation removes an unnecessary barrier that restricts energy access, enabling more Ohio businesses and local governments to take advantage of the cost saving benefits of Virtual Net Metering. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today, and I would be happy to answer any questions you have.
Nolan Rutschilling
Managing Director of Energy Policy
Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund
nrutschilling@theoec.org
SB 156 Scorecard Letter to Members of the Ohio House of Representatives
June 25, 2024
To: Members of the Ohio House of Representatives
From: Pete Bucher, Chief of Staff, Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund
Re: Senate Bill 156
Dear Honorable Representatives,
I am writing to inform you that the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) Action Fund will be scoring Senate Bill 156 (SB 156) for the purposes of our legislative scorecard for the 135th Ohio General Assembly. We urge a yes vote on SB 156. To the extent that SB 156 passes, the OEC Action Fund will be doing extensive public education on the content and the votes on this legislation due to its positive impact to Ohio’s environment and the health of Ohioans.
The OEC Action Fund supports the passage of this legislation to clarify the Scenic Rivers Program in Ohio law and to transfer the authority to administer the program to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Natural Areas and Preserves (DNAP). DNAP has a history of running this program, as well as the expertise and staff resources to administer the program.
SB156 will support the success of Ohio’s wild and scenic rivers program by clarifying DNAP’s authority over the program and by addressing the concerns of some property owners with land adjacent to these protected waterways. The legislation’s new definition for “Scenic River Lands” clarifies that the program’s activities are conducted on property owned and managed by ODNR.
The legislation will also expand the types of waterways that are subject to designation as a wild, scenic or recreational river to include headwaters. Headwaters are the source of streams or rivers and are some of the most critical waterways in need of protection due to their role and ability to trap floodwaters, recharge groundwater supplies, remove pollution, provide fish and wildlife habitat, and sustain the health of downstream rivers, lakes and bays.
The OEC Action Fund is a longtime supporter of the state’s Scenic Rivers Program and we urge you to vote yes on SB 156 to support the designation and protection of scenic, wild, and recreational rivers. This bill will provide valuable guidance for the Scenic Rivers Program that guarantees our natural resources will be protected for the use of future generations.
If you have any questions, please direct them to me at pbucher@theoec.org.
Sincerely,

Pete Bucher
Chief of Staff
OEC Action Fund
HB 349 Scorecard Letter to Members of the Ohio House of Representatives
June 25, 2024
To: Members of the Ohio House of Representatives
From: Pete Bucher, Chief of Staff, Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund
Re: House Bill 349
Dear Honorable Representatives,
I am writing to inform you that the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) Action Fund will be scoring House Bill 349 (HB 349) for the purposes of our Legislative Scorecard for the 135th Ohio General Assembly. We urge a no vote on HB 349. To the extent that HB 349 passes, the OEC Action Fund will be doing extensive public education on the content of and the votes on this legislation due to its harmful impact to Ohioans.
To put it simply: in a time of high profits for oil and gas companies and increasing concerns around polluting natural gas infrastructure, HB 349 takes Ohio taxpayer dollars and allocates incentives for natural gas pipelines and development. Particularly troubling is the reduction of natural gas companies’ property taxable value. By altering the valuation formula for natural gas company property, property taxes are cut by up to 75%. At a time when Ohioans across the state, particularly seniors and low income homeowners, struggle to keep up with their rising property taxes, this is the wrong approach. Natural Gas companies need to pay their fair share of taxes to Ohio communities, and don’t need more funding for infrastructure that can damage our water and land, as recently seen in Athens County and Columbiana County.
Ohioans are being hit with rising costs in both the regulatory and legislative space. This bill increase
comes at a time when utilities like Dominion Energy and Columbia Gas continue to seek increases in
monthly fixed costs, which remain steady no matter how much gas customers use. This legislation is
part of a pattern of corporate giveaways in the same vein as House Bill 201, which increased the ability
for natural gas utilities to charge Ohioans for pipeline to economic development sites, at the expense of
ratepayers and the environment.
We urge a no vote on HB 349. If you have any questions, please direct them to me at
pbucher@theoec.org.
Sincerely,

Pete Bucher
Chief of Staff
OEC Action Fund
HB 226 Scorecard Letter to Members of the Ohio Senate
June 25, 2024
To: Members of the Ohio Senate
From: Pete Bucher, Chief of Staff, Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund
Re: House Bill 226
Dear Honorable Senators,
I am writing to inform you that the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) Action Fund will be scoring House Bill (HB) 226 for the purposes of our Legislative Scorecard for the 135th Ohio General Assembly. We urge a yes vote on HB 226. To the extent that HB 226 passes, the OEC Action Fund will be doing extensive public education on the content and the votes on this legislation due to its positive impact to Ohio’s drinking water quality and the health of Ohioans.
Every Ohioan—no matter if they’re from Youngstown or Dayton, Cleveland or Cincinnati, Toledo or Athens—deserves clean, safe, and affordable drinking water. That’s why we’re thrilled to see direct investments in Ohio’s public water infrastructure from the state and federal administrations for removal of lead service lines.
In Ohio, we’ve been dealing with the threat of lead pipes contaminating our tap water for decades. Even though the use of lead pipes was banned by Congress in 1986, Ohio currently ranks second in the nation for the most lead pipes serving families, with over 800,000 estimated to be still in use.
HB 226 will make changes to help remove financial barriers to homeowners in an investor-owned water utility’s service area to remove the portion of the lead service line that is on their property. Under the provisions of this legislation, a private water utility that is regulated by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) may relieve the customer of this large upfront cost and perform the replacement on their behalf. Customers who chose to pay for the replacement themselves will also have a mechanism to seek reimbursement for the project costs. From a public health perspective, it is essential that lead services are fully removed, including both the customer-owned and utility-owned portions of the line. Otherwise, the threat of lead poisoning will remain for a homeowner.
We urge you to vote yes on HB 226 to move towards full replacement of lead service water lines in Ohio’s private water systems. We also urge the Ohio Legislature to appropriate additional resources to support both public and private water systems in achieving the full removal of all 800,000 lead service water lines that remain in Ohio and that pose a major public health risk.
If you have any questions, please email me at pbucher@theoec.org.
Sincerely,

Pete Bucher
Chief of Staff
OEC Action Fund
HB 79 Scorecard Letter to Members of the Ohio House of Representatives
June 25, 2024
To: Members of the Ohio House
From: Pete Bucher, Chief of Staff, OEC Action Fund
Re: House Bill 79
Dear Honorable Representatives,
I am writing to inform you that the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) Action Fund will be scoring House Bill 79 (HB 79) for the purposes of our Legislative Scorecard for the 135th Ohio General Assembly. We urge a yes vote on HB 79. To the extent that HB 79 passes, the OEC Action Fund will be doing extensive public education on the content and the votes on this legislation due to its positive impact to Ohio’s environment and the health of Ohioans.
HB 79 is a top energy policy priority for the OEC Action Fund. It establishes much-needed energy efficiency programs that are voluntary for both consumers and utilities. Among the chief benefits of reinstating these programs are combating air pollution by reducing energy waste, reducing strain on the electric grid, and lowering energy bills for Ohioans. This legislation will allow utilities, with PUCO and stakeholder oversight, to create consumer and business friendly programs that will save consumers money on their electric bills while also improving air quality and public health. To be clear: this bill will save Ohioans money in a time of skyrocketing energy bills.
HB 79 also has a myriad of other benefits not provided by current utility, state, or local initiatives. This bill specifically targets support to lower income families and seeks to make efficiency technology affordable to them. The impact of the bill will be immediate, reducing strain on our electricity grid as less energy is used and creating jobs for Ohioans to install the technology. Overall, HB 79 is a win for all parties involved.
At the center of HB 79 is the choice for consumers to either opt in or opt out of these energy efficiency programs. These standards are not forced upon consumers and businesses. Instead, lowered prices and economic incentives are being used to push people toward more efficient energy usage. Safeguards have been put in place to ensure that both consumers and businesses can opt out of the program if they so choose. We urge a yes vote on HB 79.
If you have any questions, please contact me at pbucher@theoec.org.
Sincerely,

Pete Bucher
Chief of Staff
OEC Action Fund
HCR 14 Scorecard Letter to Members of the Ohio House of Representatives
June 6, 2024
To: Members of the Ohio House of Representatives
From: Pete Bucher, Chief of Staff, Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund
Re: House Concurrent Resolution 14
Dear Honorable Representatives,
I am writing to inform you that the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) Action Fund will be scoring House Concurrent Resolution 14 (HCR 14) for the purposes of our Legislative Scorecard for the 135th Ohio General Assembly. We urge a yes vote on HCR 14. To the extent that this resolution passes, the OEC Action Fund will be doing extensive public education on the content and the votes on this legislation due to the positive impacts that the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) has on Ohio’s environment and the health of Ohioans.
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Act of 2024 is imperative to restore and protect the Great Lakes — as well as the streams, rivers and wetlands that feed them. With an investment of up to $500 million annually, this bipartisan federal legislation would reauthorize the GLRI for five more fiscal years, from 2027 through 2031.
The GLRI is an inter-agency program designed to address the most significant problems in the Great
Lakes and protects the source of 40 million people’s drinking water and 90 percent of our nation’s freshwater supply. With invasive species, toxic pollution, harmful algae blooms, beach closures, and climate change threatening the health and productivity of Lake Erie and the other Great Lakes, the GLRI is increasingly critical to restoring the ecosystem that Ohio jobs, recreation, and tourism depend upon.
Thank you for your consideration of supporting this crucial bill. Voting yes would help preserve the
long-term prosperity of Ohio’s environment and economy. If you have any questions, please direct them
to me at pbucher@theoec.org.
Sincerely,
Pete Bucher

Chief of Staff
OEC Action Fund
HB 1 Scorecard Letter to Members of the Ohio Legislator
To: Members of the Ohio Legislature
From: Pete Bucher, Chief of Staff, Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund
Re: House Bill 1 (Special Session)
Dear Honorable Legislators,
I am writing to inform you that the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) Action Fund will be scoring House Bill 1 for the purposes of our Legislative Scorecard for the 135th Ohio General Assembly. We urge you to vote no on this legislation.
To the extent that HB 1 passes, the OEC Action Fund will be doing extensive public education about how this legislation is designed to restrict the power and freedom of Ohioans to organize and participate in democratic processes. At the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund, we know a healthy and inclusive democracy is essential for a healthy environment.
Additionally, the use of an emergency clause in this legislation would only further the negative impact on organizations that seek to engage in ballot initiatives. Fundamentally changing the systems and structures for disclosure and compliance that organizations use during a major election year is needless and intentionally destructive. If an amendment to remove the emergency clause is presented, the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) Action Fund will be scoring that amendment for the purposes of our Legislative Scorecard for the 135th Ohio General Assembly. We urge you to vote yes on an amendment removing the emergency clause in this legislation if one is proposed.
The OEC Action Fund supports more disclosure and transparency in campaign finance, whether regarding ballot initiatives or electoral candidates. Such disclosure requirements should be evenly applied to all organizations, ensuring transparency in Ohio elections.
H.B. 1’s language creating “alternative political organizations” and their associated disclosure requirements are not actually about ballot initiative transparency—they are designed to chill grassroots organizations supporting ballot initiatives.
It’s crucial to note that the contribution of foreign money to influence domestic elections is already illegal under federal law, and these restrictions already apply to state elections. However, H.B. 1 goes beyond these necessary measures and instead, it aims to impose complex restrictions on local, citizen-led organizations that support ballot initiatives. Non-profit organizations, including those that support environmental causes, receive donations from a variety of sources. This legislation, if enacted, would not only stifle the voices of immigrants but also hinder their ability to support causes that directly impact them.
Donations from foreign sources in other countries are already regulated by federal law—any legislation specifically targeting those sources would be duplicative. Thus, this bill is unnecessary for a more narrowly tailored purpose and, in its broad form, restricts the First Amendment rights of Ohioans.
Of import, U.S. residents who are not yet U.S. citizens are still afforded rights under the U.S. Constitution.
As demonstrated during the August special election last year, Ohioans cherish their right to use ballot initiatives when necessary to make changes in our state. They are ready and willing to act in defense of our democracy. This bill should be called what it is—an attack on Ohioans’ right to make their voices heard at the ballot box.
Given the negative implications of H.B. 1, we strongly urge all members of the Ohio General Assembly to vote against this bill. It’s crucial that we protect the rights and voices of all Ohioans.
If you have any questions, please direct them to me at pbucher@theoec.org.
Sincerely,
Pete Bucher
Chief of Staff
OEC Action Fund
SB 137 Scorecard Letter to the Members of the Ohio Senate
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
To: Members of the Ohio Senate
From: Pete Bucher, Chief of Staff, Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund
Re: Senate Bill 137
Dear Honorable Senators,
I am writing to inform you that the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) Action Fund will be scoring Senate Bill 137 (SB 137) for the purposes of our Legislative Scorecard for the 135th Ohio General Assembly. We urge a no vote on SB 137. To the extent that this bill passes, the OEC Action Fund will be doing extensive public education on the content and the votes on this legislation due to its restrictions on how local governments run their elections.
Local communities make a variety of decisions regarding how they structure their city councils, mayor races, and other elected offices, basing those decisions on the needs and wants of their constituents. Take for example, the Main Street Corridor right here in Central Ohio. Columbus’ City Council is made up of 9 district representatives. However, the entire city votes on the representatives for each district. Bexley has a 7 member, at-large council. Whitehall has a city council of 8 members: 4 ward members, 3 at large, and a council president. Ward members are selected only by residents of that ward. In a 9 mile stretch of Central Ohio road, there are 4 distinct municipal governments with unique makeups (to say nothing of townships). These at large seats are chosen by a “Choose up to 3 candidates” selection model.
Cuyahoga County also has a more complex county government, with an executive, while other counties have chosen to utilize different representative systems with county commissioners. All around, such diversity makes Ohio’s communities truly special. If a community in Ohio wants to explore an alternative voting system like Ranked Choice Voting, that community would simply be leaning into the power of such diversity with their democracy processes.
Local governments should not be penalized for choosing to utilize an alternative election system like Ranked Choice Voting, a system utilized successfully in a variety of communities across the country. While to our knowledge, no communities in Ohio have adopted Ranked Choice Voting, if a community were to consider it for their own elections, they shouldn’t have financial penalties hanging over their head when making that decision. Please, do not restrict the ability of Ohioans to choose the best leaders for their communities by making them choose between a voting method that might be better for their community and the financial security of those same communities. We urge you to vote no on SB 137.
If you have any questions, please direct them to Spencer Dirrig at sdirrig@theoec.org.
Sincerely,

Pete Bucher
Interim President OEC Action Fund