State Initiatives

Ohio Interfaith Power and Light encourages public policies that protect the earth, ensure public health and well-being, reduce pollution and greenhouse gases, and support energy efficiency, energy conservation, and renewable energy sources. Our work on public policies is grounded in the religious tenets of caring for our neighbor and the most vulnerable, caring for the earth, and preserving the planet for generations to come.

Ohio Interfaith Power and Light’s Policy Priorities in Ohio for 2012 are:

Clean Air

The Clean Air Act is an invaluable tool to carry out our call to be stewards of God’s Creation and to serve the least among us.

The US Environmental Protection Agency is taking a series of actions to reduce greenhouse pollution from stationary sources, such as power plants, and mobile sources, such as automobiles.  EPA has also proposed other regulations to reduce air pollution, such as the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards for power plants. These actions:

  • Limits industrial carbon pollution from new power plants, which is essential to improving public health and protect Ohio kids.
  • Safeguards against harmful air pollution from power plant emissions of mercury, arsenic, dioxin, and other toxic pollutants
  1. Ohio ranks second in the nation for mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants

Ohio’s Clean Air Defense Campaign Coalition includes a partnership of organizations:

  • National Wildlife Federation
  • Sierra Club
  • Audubon Ohio
  • Environment Ohio
  • Environmental Health Watch
  • Blue Green Alliance
  • Union of Concerned Scientists
  • Moms Clean Air Force
  • Ohio Interfaith Power and Light
  • YOU!!

TAKE ACTION: 

  • Join the Clean Air Defense Campaign. Be a part of this effort by signing up for OhIPL’s Advocacy & Justice Caucus. Click here for more information.

Natural Gas Extraction/Hydraulic Fracturing

  1. What is “Fracking”?  Natural gas extraction/Hydraulic fracturing from shale is a complex process which includes: 1) building access roads, centralized water and flow-back holding ponds and of the site itself ; 2) construction of pipe lines and compressor stations; 3) drilling ; 4) hydraulic fracturing of shale deposits; 5) capturing the natural gas; 6) and disposal (or recycling) of, flow-back water and drill cuttings.

Many questions remain about the hydraulic fracturing process, such as methane gas (greenhouse gas) leakage, effect on drinking water, and waste water treatment and storage. OhIPL supports a rapid move towards renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy conservation foremost as a religious response to climate change and caring for the earth. OhIPL will continue to share information, events, policy updates, and testimony concerning hydraulic fracturing in Ohio and discern ways our religious voice can inform the issue.

[Click here] for Testimony of the Reverend Frank Edmands, Board Member of Ohio Interfaith Power and Light before the Ohio Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee (April 24, 2012)

More information about Fracking in Ohio from some Ohio Environmental groups:

Ohio Sierra Club – http://ohiosierraclub.org/category/gasandoilfracking/

Ohio Citizen Action – http://ohiocitizen.org/?cat=66

TAKE ACTION:

Advocate that safeguards are in place, including:

  • Full disclosure of the composition and safety of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing
  • Ensure an effective regulatory structure is in place to protect human health, clean water, and clean air.

Clean Energy

Science clearly indicates that we must reduce our output of carbon dioxide and other global warming pollution. Transitioning away from coal and other fossil fuels is a crucial step to mitigating against climate disruption. Coal provides nearly 90% of Ohio’s electricity and about half of our global warming pollution. Continuing our dependence on coal chains us to dirty energy and prevents us from making the changes we need to bring about a clean, secure energy future.

  1. Ohio’s coal plants produce 10,429,000 tons of coal ash a year, ranking third highest in the nation.

Coal ash waste contains arsenic, lead, hexavalent chromium, cadmium, mercury, and other cancer-causing and neurotoxic chemicals. Despite this, Ohio excludes all coal ash from regulation by classifying it as “nontoxic.” Coal ash is unregulated and is typically stored near the Ohio River. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources does not keep track of where this toxic pollutant is stored around the state. –Source: Ohio Citizen Action

[Click here] for a map of coal-fired power plants in Ohio

TAKE ACTION:

  • Ensure Ohio’s Renewable and Advanced Energy Portfolio is secure (SB 221)
  • Ensure Ohio’s Energy Efficiency Resource Standard is secure (SB 221)
  • Ensure coal ash in Ohio is regulated and treated as a toxic waste

Join OhIPL’s Advocacy & Justice Caucus. We look forward to your involvement.