An Ohio bill making its way through the legislature regulates carbon sequestration, or taking and storing CO2 emissions underground to mitigate the effects of climate change.
House Bill 170, introduced by Reps. Monica Robb Blasdel (R-New Waterford) and Bob Peterson (R-Sabina) in March, has so far been backed by oil and gas associations, while environmentalists are largely against it.
It shifts regulation of what is called carbon capture and storage projects, or CCS projects, from the federal government to the state government, generally giving the Ohio Department of Natural Resources “sole and exclusive authority” over the projects.
That is a needed change, Peterson said.
“I know and believe Ohio can and will do it better, faster and safer than the federal government will,” he said during his testimony in October. “(It) strikes a balance, enabling innovation and investment in climate technology, while protecting environmental and public interest.”
From there, HB 170 also establishes the regulatory framework of the projects, which target major polluters, and the use of the abandoned oil and gas wells, which is where carbon dioxide is injected. The framework includes outlining permitting and project requirements, defining who owns the cavities in dirt and soil and how it can be leased, and waiving certain liabilities.
“If we don’t act, Ohio risks falling behind,” Robb Blasdel said during her testimony in October.
But environmental activists have argued the CCS projects aren’t all that efficient in curbing climate change, and they come with health and safety risks.
“The bill requires these storage projects to be isolated from any existing or future oil and gas production, it also calls for setbacks to establish a buffer between oil and gas resources and CO2 storage facilities,” said Tom Torres, an organizer with the Ohio River Valley Institute. “What this bill doesn’t do is provide that same protection to sensitive areas such as churches, schools, environmental justice areas, parks and so on.”
Four Democrats voted against HB 170 on the floor of the House. It is waiting on its first committee hearing over in the Senate, which has its own bill, Senate Bill 136.
