2001 - 2002 Interim
Ohio Environmental Scorecard

Senate Vote Descriptions

Clean Air and Water

1. Wetlands Protections - HB 231
This bill weakens protections for isolated or non-jurisdictional wetlands. In 2001, the US Supreme Court struck down federal protections for isolated wetlands leaving protection of these precious areas to state government. The Ohio EPA issued emergency rules that largely mirrored the federal protections. However, the General Assembly then introduced and passed House Bill 231 which makes it easier to destroy isolated wetlands. The bill was later signed by Governor Taft. Wetlands provide important functions including flood control, filtration of water pollution, and critical habitat for birds and wildlife. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 29-3. "No" is the correct vote.

2. Prohibit sale of MTBE - HB 425
MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether) is widely used as a gasoline additive. It is used to enhance engine performance, improve combustion efficiency, and to re-duce emissions of air pollutants. MTBE also is a water pollutant. It is water-soluble and has been detected in groundwater in thousands of communities. MTBE in even minute amounts causes the water to taste and smell offensive. The health effects of direct exposure to MTBE are not well known, although initial laboratory tests indicate it is a carcinogen. House Bill 425 prohibits the sale of MTBE in Ohio. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 32-0. "Yes" is the correct vote.

3. Federal Clean Air Legislation - SCR 28
No other single source of industrial pollution causes as many adverse public health and environmental impacts as old, dirty coal-fired power plants. Pollution from these dirty plants cuts short the lives of more than 30,000 Americans each year and in some in-stances may shave several years off a person's life ac-cording to recent studies. Federal legislation has been introduced to address the environmental and public health effects associated with dirty power plants.

• Smog and soot-forming nitrogen oxides would be cut by 75 percent from 1997 levels
• Acid rain and soot-forming sulfur dioxide would be cut by 75% below Phase II of the Acid Rain Program
• Toxic mercury emissions would be cut by 90 per-cent from 1999 levels
• Global warming carbon dioxide emissions would return to levels present in 1990.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 28 calls on Congress to reject this clean air legislation. The resolution passed the Senate by a vote of 27-5. "No" is the correct vote.

Solid Waste

4. Solid Waste Study Committee - SB 71
The last two years saw a marked increase in the amount of proposed solid waste landfills especially ones near sensitive natural areas such as the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. In response, Senate Bill 71 was introduced to create a Joint Committee on Solid Waste Management to study the health, safety, social, and economic issues related to solid waste landfills and to recommend legislative or regulatory changes to landfill regulation. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 28-5. "Yes" is the correct vote.

5. Construction and Demolition Debris - SB 199
In the late 1980s, the State of Ohio enacted new legislation that provided better environmental protections from pollution from solid waste landfills. Construction and demolitions debris landfills were largely left out of that legislation. Senate Bill 199 strengthens the laws governing construction and demolition debris landfills. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 29-3. "Yes" is the correct vote.

Environmental Enforcement

6. Polluter Protection - SB 105
Senate Bill 105 allows polluters to avoid penalties if the Ohio EPA or another government agency fails to take action within five years of the violation. While the bill still requires polluters to pay for the clean-up, it removes a major deterrent for violating environ-mental laws. The bill affects both state and local government. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 22-8. "No" is the correct vote.

7. Oversight of Clean Ohio Funds - Amendment to House Bill 3
House Bill 3 was the vehicle to implement the Clean Ohio Fund, a bond act approved by voters in 2000. Part of the bill included up to $200 million to clean up brownfields, or abandoned and polluted industrial sites. This amendment to House Bill 3 would have required that the Clean Ohio Council be consulted on all grants made through this fund. The amendment failed by a vote of 12-20. "Yes" is the correct vote.

8. Liability for Environmental Violations - SB 120
Senate Bill 120 modifies the law regarding the apportionment of liability in specified civil actions. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 22-10. "No" is the correct vote.

Transportation

9. Midwest High Speed Rail Compact - SB 212
The Midwest High Speed Rail Compact was established primarily to promote development and implementation of improvements to intercity passenger rail service in the Midwest and to coordinate interaction among Midwestern state elected officials and their designees on passenger rail issues. Senate Bill 212 allows Ohio to join the compact and is another step in strengthening passenger rail service, and thus transportation choice, in Ohio. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 33-0. "Yes" is the correct vote.

10. Adequate Funding for Amtrak - SCR 33
When compared to other transportation systems such as highways and flying, passenger rail in the United States has received a much less government support. Senate Concurrent Resolution 33 calls on Congress to appropriate adequate funding to Amtrak. The resolution passed the Senate by a vote of 30-3. "Yes" is the correct vote.

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