OHIO ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL

Clean energy is the best and most viable alternative to fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas. Clean energy is generated from emission-free sources that derive their power from naturally occurring resources such as the blowing wind, the shining sun, or the flow of water.

It can also be generated from sources that harness energy from waste products like waste heat, landfill gas, or yard and tree clippings.

Clean energy resources differ greatly from fossil fuels because they pollute much less than these finite sources. Air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, mercury, methane, or particulate matter harm human health in serious ways.

Opting for clean energy resources reduces the amount of byproducts like ash, brine, and hydraulic fracturing ("fracking”) fluids that, if not disposed of properly, can damage land and pollute streams and rivers. Encouraging the development of more clean energy resources to light our businesses and fuel our automobiles will greatly reduce negative health impacts and greenhouse gas emissions.

The OEC’s clean energy programs focus on advancing energy efficiency policy and projects for Ohio’s energy consumers by keeping watch over the Ohio legislature, state agencies, and powerful interest lobbyists trying to influence the law.

Each day, you breathe 2,000 gallons of air. Shouldn't that air be as clean and healthy as possible?

Healthy air and the earth's climate are intricately linked to our environment, economy, communities, and quality of life. Ohio’s air has greatly improved over the decades thanks to community groups, the national Clean Air Act, and individual action by millions of people.

However, too many of us must still breath air that is polluted and unhealthy. In fact, more than 127 million people across the country live in areas that are failing air quality standards. Low-income families bear a disproportionate burden of poor air quality and impacts to human health.

As our planet warms due to human-caused climate change, researchers project that we will see more intense storms, fires, floods, and droughts. These events will impact our homes, infrastructure, food supplies, air quality, neighborhoods, and natural areas. Cutting greenhouse gas and aerosol emissions can limit the severity of climate change impact while creating new technologies and markets that will benefit our economy.

Ohio is blessed with a rich and varied landscape - from rolling foothills, deep forests and parklands, to flat, fertile farmland. For the past 200 years, Ohio’s natural beauty and rich natural resources have played a pivotal role in our economic and cultural development.

It is estimated that:

Since the 1800s, more than 3 billion tons of coal has been mined in Ohio.
In 2011, Ohio’s oil and gas industry drilled an estimated 460 oil and gas wells in 42 of Ohio’s 88 counties.
In 2011, industrial minerals such as limestone, sand, gravel, and salt, were mined in 87 of Ohio’s counties.
In 2010, Ohio used about 8.6 billion gallons per day of water from surface and ground water sources.
Ohio harvests 300 to 400 million board feet of timber each year.
But Ohio’s oil, natural gas, coal, timber, and water resources, have been and continue to be exploited and overused. Such exploitation can have a devastating and lasting impact on Ohio’s environmental and human health.

OEC is at the Ohio General Assembly defending against legislation that could facilitate more resource exploitation; working with state agencies, industries, and other stakeholders to find solutions that protect Ohio’s environment while also growing the state’s economy; and, when necessary, filing legal challenges to protect Ohio’s remaining precious natural heritage.

One place in Ohio is dedicated to securing healthy air, land, and water for all who call Ohio home through legal advocacy, analysis, and education: the William W. Ellis Ohio Environmental Law Center (OELC).

The OELC’S mission is three-fold: analysis, advocacy, and education. The OELC supports environmental advocacy and legal action, provides citizens with valuable tools and guidance through the legal system, and educates tomorrow’s environmental law professionals.

The OELC, part of the Ohio Environmental Council, is staffed by the OEC Director of Legal Affairs, as well as by staff attorneys, specialized and experienced outside counsel, and law student interns.

Ohio’s State Forests cover more than 200,000 acres, but only about eight percent, or 16,000 acres, is protected in the long-term from commercial development, clear cutting, mining and oil and gas drilling. Using special administrative and legislative land-use designations, such as State Wilderness Areas or High Conservation Value Forests, the OEC will work to increase the amount of protected state forest acreage by fifty percent. The OEC will start achieving this goal by focusing our advocacy on the ecologically significant area that is Hocking State Forest. Building on recent victories to protect certain areas within this forest from commercial logging, the OEC will continue building champions and strong allies such as elected leaders, caring and connected neighbors of the forest, ecology experts, and local travel and tourism businesses. The establishment and activation of a broad coalition, outreach to decision-makers, and a public campaign around a specific, beautiful place will make a compelling case that pristine lands generate higher economic and social value than commercial or industrial development. As the OEC’s capacity grows, we will advance protections in other state forests, such as the Shawnee and Mohican, so that more of Ohio’s natural heritage will be enjoyed by future generations.