Ohio lawmakers seek to limit local authority over fossil-fuel use
Updated Mar 15, 2021;
Posted Mar 15, 2021
A drilling rig is seen Oct. 17, 2011, on the Utica Shale formation in Ohio. (Plain Dealer file)Gus Chan file photo | For cleveland.com
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COLUMBUS, Ohio Ohio Republican lawmakers are again looking to hamstring local governments’ ability to pass pro-environmental ordinances this time, by cutting off potential attempts by communities to rein in the use of fossil fuels.
Twin bills introduced in the Ohio House and Senate would, if passed, prevent local governments from limiting residents’ use of natural gas. A third bill, introduced in the House, would prevent local bans on oil or gas pipelines, as well as restrictions on the use of any fossil fuel for electricity generation.
A Furious Industry Backlash Greets Moves by California Cities to Ban Natural Gas in New Construction
Gas bans and restrictions, and the industry pushback, is part of a battle on many fronts over the future of natural gas in homes and businesses.
March 5, 2021
Center Street, near the University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley was the first city in the United States to pass an ordinance that banned natural gas hookups in new construction. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
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Second in a series with the Seattle Times on the future of natural gas in homes and businesses.
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The United States has the lowest renewable energy penetration among the top 5 global economies, Moody s Investors Service concluded in an infrastructure and project finance report released Monday. Leading that list is the European Union and U.K., followed by China, India and Japan.
The analysis blames the laggard status on weak U.S. federal policies, including the lack of a national renewables mandate and inconsistent tax incentives for wind and solar. Where renewables have thrived in the United States, Moody s said, is in large part due to their growing cost competitiveness and local policy.
Analysts and advocates agree U.S. federal policy has not sufficiently championed renewables growth, but see reasons for optimism with President Joe Biden indicating his support for clean energy. It is really important for the federal government to lay down some markers and set some goals, said Uday Varadarajan, a principal in Rocky Mountain Institute s (RMI) carbon-free elect
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