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Ohio State Budget: Conference Committee Preview
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Ohio State Budget: Conference Committee Preview

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June 10, 11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. ...

June 10, 11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Ohio's new $60B+ operating budget is now in the hands of three State Representatives and three State Senators. These lawmakers comprise a joint House-Senate conference committee that is charged with proposing a compromise to iron out hundreds of differences between the Ohio House and Ohio Senate on how to spend those dollars. They also will recommend how to reconcile differences regarding thousands of proposed law changes.

After the conference committee recommends its compromise, the full House and Senate will vote whether to accept it. They must vote in time for the Governor to review and accept or reject the budget by midnight, June 30th.

So far, the budget has some distinctive green hues, including:

$52M for the Clean Ohio Fund
More than half a million dollars for the Healthy Lake Erie Fund
Half a million dollars for green chemistry job development.
But will this funding stick in the final budget plan lawmakers send to the Governor? Will lawmakers continue to resist the "Dump and Glow Amendment" to allow radioactive-laced oil + gas drilling waste to be disposed of in Ohio landfills? Will lawmakers accept the OEC's proposals to require ODOT to survey local transit agency needs and to equip Ohio EPA first responder vehicles with sirens and lights?

Find out the latest news on the "greener side" of the budget bill!

Use #OECwebinar to join in on Twitter.

Presenters:

Jack Shaner, Deputy Director, Senior Director of Legislative & Public Affairs
Kristy Meyer, Managing Director of Agricultural & Clean Water Programs
Kristen Kubitza, Director of Water Policy + Outreach
Melanie Houston, Director of Water Policy + Environmental Health

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  • Melanie: Provide basic definition of TENORM, bit of background on what the bill is trying to do, why the bill falls far short (the problems) and explain how definition should be changed to capture more of the radioactive shale gas wastes (including drill cuttings)

Ohio State Budget: Conference Committee Preview Presentation Transcript

  • 1. The Green + Not SoGreen Ohio BudgetThank you for joining us. We will begin in a moment.Please check your speakers/phone connection.If you experience any problems, please let us knowby typing in the chat box.Follow the OEC on Twitter: @OhioEnviro.The hashtag for this webinar is #OECwebinar
  • 2. Jack ShanerDeputy DirectorKristenKubitzaDirector of WaterPolicy +OutreachKristy MeyerManaging Director ofAgriculture, Health & CleanWater ProgramsThe Green + Not SoGreen Ohio BudgetMelanie HoustonDirector ofWater Policy +Environmental Health
  • 3. Ohio Environmental CouncilThe OEC is Ohio‟s most comprehensive, effective and respectedenvironmental advocate for a healthier, more sustainable Ohio.Our experts work daily to restore, protect, and strengthen thequality of life for families and communities—from the air webreathe and the water we drink to the food we eat and naturalresources we enjoy.Please join us! OEC members: Receive great benefits Become part of the community working to restore, protect, andstrengthen the quality of life for families and communities inOhio.Become a member today at www.theOEC.org.
  • 4. The Green + Not So Green BudgetThree budget proposals.Three weeks to decide.Solid progress. Some regress.What’s in? What’s out? Whatcould yet sneak in or fall out?Here’s our best information…
  • 5. Current Status of Ohio Budget Bill House Bill 59 Governor Kasich introducedFeb. 12, 2013 Amended + passed by OhioHouse April 18, 2013 Amended + passed by OhioSenate June 6, 2013 Next: joint House-Senateconference committee Final vote + Governor‟sapproval (+ line-item vetoes)on/by June 30, 2013
  • 6. OEC Top 10 Issues for the Conference Committee1. Clean Ohio Fund2. Lake Erie and inland lake clean up3. Reservoir + water quality protection4. Oil + gas drilling regulation + TENORM5. Coal mining regulation + miner safety6. Emergency response7. Public transportation + freight rail8. Green chemistry9. Public records10. Clean energy
  • 7. 1. Clean Ohio Fund 3 issues Full $52M added, $26M eachby House + Senate Senate rejected House planto share state park drilling $ Senate rejected House planfor Clean Ohio + brownfieldfunding study commissionOEC Objective 1: Maintain$52M. Sub-objectives: Keepdrilling provision out. Getfunding study back in.
  • 8. 2. Lake Erie + Inland Lake Clean Up Challenge: reduce nutrient loadings tostop harmful algal blooms - harmful topeople, pets, sport fishing, tourism Solution: ID nutrient source + applyclean-up “prescriptions” Several positive actions: House established Lake Facilities Authorityto clean up inland lakes Senate added $600,000 to Healthy LakeErie fund for stepped-up water monitoring House + Senate agreed to fund Ohio SeaGrant + Heidelberg U. Water Quality Lab OEC Objective 2: MaintainHouse + Senate changes andincrease Healthy Lake ErieFund
  • 9. 3. Reservoir + Water Quality Protection Lets private propertyowners mow grass +vegetation in city-ownedbuffer strip alongreservoir or protectedstream Undercuts efforts toprotect drinking waterreservoirs + targetedheadwater streams fromrunoff + soil erosion Wastes ratepayer dollars“Tread „n Mow on Me” AmendmentsOEC Objective 3: Removeamendments*Photo Courtesy Columbus Public Utilities
  • 10. 4-A. Oil + Gas Drilling Regulation Senate adopted Gov‟s proposals to: Prohibit treatment + disposal of wastefluids into surface or ground water Prohibit spreading of brine on roads fromhorizontal (shale) drillingSenate rejected Gov‟s proposal to: Require landowner notification if drillinglease is sold to a different company Severance Tax Increase Gov. Kasich has new proposalOEC Objective 4-A: Maintain Senatechanges. Add landowner notification.
  • 11. 4-B. Oil + Gas TENORM (Radioactive Waste) Senate adopted Gov.‟s proposal for disposal of TENORMradioactive waste in solid-waste landfills Narrow definition of TENORM will exempt bulk of radioactive-lacedwastes—especially drill cuttings—from testing for regulatory threshold Allows mixing or “down-blending” of waste to dilute radioactivity Ohio following Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, whichrecognizes drilling muds, sludge, waste water, filters, etc., as TENORM butexempts drill cuttings (+brine) the largest + most radioactive of drillingwastes USEPA, National Academy of Sciences, American National StandardsInstitute all recognize drill cuttings as TENORM Bottom line: Ohio not adopting most protective standard OEC Objective 4-B: Kill TENORM amendment. Get stand-alone bill to conform to USEPA, NAS, ANSI definition.
  • 12. 5. Coal Mining Regulation + Miner Safety House + Senate adopted Gov.‟s proposal for $2.5M/FY inGRF for combined regulatory oversight + miner safety Mine safety previously was funded at $3M/year; now mustshare less funds with the Coal Regulatory program Potential threat to environment + miner safety Also puts more burden on taxpayers, instead of industryOEC Objective 5: Reform fundingscheme - make coal mining industry—not taxpayers—pay for regulatoryoversight and miner safety.
  • 13. 6. Emergency Response CapabilityThe Ohio EPA‟s EmergencyResponse Program and its 15 staffare on call 24/7/365 to respond,contain + investigate releases +spills to the environment.Yet their vehicles have no sirens orlights!OEC Objective 6: Amend ORC4511.01(E) to define Ohio EPAEmergency Response vehicles “publicsafety vehicles”
  • 14. 7. Public Transportation + Freight Rail 2 issues ODOT making little effort to build robustpublic transportation + freight rail State funding for public transportation +freight rail stuck at $7.3M/FY + $2M/FY,respectively Senate added punitive provision to requiretransit agency to get permission of local citybefore expanding serviceOEC Objective 7: Boost funding for publictransit + Ohio Rail DevelopmentCommission. Remove bad Senateamendment. Require ODOT to survey localtransit agencies + MPOs for futureoperational + capital costs/benefits.
  • 15. 8. Green Chemistry Senate earmarked $500,000 forBioOhio to fund the BioscienceWorkforce DevelopmentInitiative Bioscience includesengineering productswithout toxic byproducts,such as making plastic fromcrops instead of oilOEC Objective 8:Maintain Senateearmark for BioOhio
  • 16. 9. Public Records Ohio Senate added provision torequire the Ohio Department ofAdministrative Services to developand propose standards for the postingof a public record on an agencywebsite by a public office so that theinformation may be secured anddownloaded in a uniform manner Public needs ability to easily accesspublic records to help hold agenciesaccountable for enforcing the lawOEC Objective 9: Maintain the Senatepublic records amendment.
  • 17. 10. Clean Energy Senate considered, but didnot include, an amendment tolet utilities ask the PUCO forpermission to change analready approved energy-efficiency planOEC Objective 10: Repel anyweakening of Ohio‟s energyefficiency or renewableenergy standards
  • 18. OEC Game Plan for Next 3 WeeksTestimonyLawmaker educationYOUwww.theOEC.org/TakeActionCenter1-800-282-0253
  • 19. Q & A - Feedback