Our June 2026 Legislative Committee Updates covers important bills currently in the Ohio General Assembly. We welcome your comments and your help as we work together to build strong, empowered communities in Ohio.
Legislative Spotlight: Representative Tristan Rader
Three important pieces of legislation that the Ohio Sierra Club Legislative Committee is tracking have been introduced or supported by Representative Tristan Rader of Lakewood in Ohio’s 13th District. Rader introduced HB 439 with Representative Sean Brennan to prevent the spread of radioactive oil and gas well waste on our roads. Rader co-sponsored HB 755 with Representative Chris Glassburn. HB 755 would allow Ohioans to own their own balcony solar power generation devices. He co-sponsored HB 399 with Representative Christine Cockley, a bill that would prohibit the removal of oil or gas from our state parks and from under Lake Erie.
Rep Rader plays a key role on the Energy Committee and the Natural Resources Committee and has taken a strong stand for environmental preservation and community health. In April, Rader wrote in his Newsletter, “…I was proud to introduce House Bill 815 alongside Rep. Allison Russo to regulate the amount of PFAS in drinking water. This is a long overdue measure to prevent and reduce our exposure to these dangerous pollutants, and a step in addressing Ohio’s long history with this contaminant.”
During last month’s Great Ohio Climate March, Rep Rader showed up for the march through Columbus and took the stage to rally and empower the crowd before an afternoon of legislative meetings focusing on renewable energy and environmental protection.
In a statement to the Natural Resources Committee Rader said, “Ohioans expect us to act as stewards of our environment and public lands, not just for today, but for the generations that will come after us.”
“Ohio’s public natural resources are not only ecological treasures, but they are also essential to our health, tourism economy, and way of life.” June’s legislative call to action supports this crucial work for sustainability, economic justice, and social equity.
Thank you to Representative Rader for his efforts to protect Ohio!
Call to Action!
Brine waste from oil and gas wells contains dangerous levels of radioactive materials. Right now it is legal to spread this waste on roads as a deicer and dust suppressant.
The Ohio Sierra Club works in collaboration with groups like Save Ohio Parks, Buckeye Environmental Network, Ohio Environmental Council and FaCT. The image above and the resources and toolkit below have been compiled by the Buckeye Environmental Network as a guide to taking action in support of HB439 and SB 329.
Brine Spreading Studies:
- ODNR Recommends NOT to Use Deicer
- ODOT Discontinues Use of Radioactive Deicer
- Long-term Infrastructure Impacts – Oil and Gas Brine on Roads
- ODNR Study of AquaSalina
- Surface Application Annual Report 2005-2023
- Surface Application Annual Report 2024
Current Bills Addressing Brine Spreading: HB439
- HB439 Fact Sheet
- Phone Script for Calling Ohio House Natural Resources Committee HB439
- Sample Letter to the Editor Script HB439
- Published Letter to the Editor
Current Bills Addressing Brine Spreading: SB329
Our legislators work for us. We elect them. We pay their salaries. As constituents, we can work together to create safer, healthier communities and a thriving environment for all Ohioans.
You can make a difference and help move these bills forward by calling your Ohio Senator or your Ohio Representative, by emailing their office, or by writing a letter to the editor to raise awareness of radioactive brine that is being spread on our roads.
Bill Tracker
The Ohio Sierra Club Legislative Committee is tracking these bills. Please consider reaching out to your state senator or representative about these proposed pieces of legislation.
The Ohio Chapter supports House Bill 303: Establishment of community energy program and pilot program
House Bill 303 would authorize and create a pilot program for community energy generation in Ohio. Community energy generation would allow Ohio residents to offsite solar energy projects without the need for individual rooftop capacity or financing. Community energy has the potential to greatly expand access to clean, renewable energy for Ohioans. Proponents are urging Senate leadership to schedule hearings and send HB 303 to the Governor before the end of this legislative session.
House Bill 303 was introduced in September 2025. Primary sponsors of HB303 are Rep. Sharon A Ray and Rep. James M Hoops. HB303 was passed by the House with bipartisan support of 77-8. It is now in the Senate Energy Committee waiting for a hearing to be scheduled.
The Ohio Chapter supports House Bill 755: Portable solar generation devices
House Bill 755 would authorize the use of certified portable (balcony) solar devices in Ohio. Both HB303 and HB755 would expand access to solar resources for individuals across Ohio. Portable solar is already popular in other parts of the world. Portable, “balcony” or “plug-in” solar devices are designed for renters or homeowners to mount outside the home and connect directly to standard 120-volt wall outlets using inverters. Generally, users can see a 10-30 percent reduction in energy costs. By allowing the use of these portable devices, Ohio would allow for greater adoption of solar power.
HB755 was introduced on March 18 2026. Primary sponsors are Rep. Tristan Rader and Rep. Chris Glassburn. It is assigned to the House Energy Committee. No hearings have been scheduled.
A bipartisan companion bill in the Senate (SB 383) has been cosponsored by Sen. Louis Blessing and Sen. Casey Weinstein. Each of the bills should have at least one hearing before the end of the legislative session.
The Ohio Chapter supports House Bill 399 and Senate Bill 132: HB399 Prohibit oil and gas removal from under Lake Erie or a state park; SB132 Preserve Act
The Ohio General Assembly and the Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission are leasing our state parks for toxic fracking operations. Between May 2023 and May 2026, approximately 12,000 acres of public lands in state parks and wildlife areas were leased for fracking. On June 29, 2026 Texas and Oklahoma companies were given the right to frack an additional 15,000 acres of Ohio’s publicly owned land. This extractive industry threatens the air, water, and soil in and around our parks and wildlife areas, and puts our communities at risk. The Sierra Club is opposed to oil and gas extraction generally, and especially in sensitive environments and areas that are accessible for recreation and that provide water to 11 million people.
Both bills have been introduced and sent to committee. The primary sponsors for HB399 are Rep. Tristan Rader and Rep. Christine Cockley. The primary sponsor for SB132 is Sen. Nickie Antonio. Neither bill has been scheduled for a hearing that would allow public input.
The Ohio Chapter supports Senate Bill 329: Prohibit the surface application of brine from oil and gas wells
Senate Bill 329 and its companion bill House Bill 439 would prohibit the surface application of brine from oil and gas wells. In Ohio brine from oil and gas wells may still be legally used for de-icing roads and dust control. Brine from oil and gas wells contains a number of pollutants, including radioactive material, and its use is environmentally harmful.
SB329 was introduced in February 2026. SB329’s primary sponsors are Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson and Sen. Kent Smith. HB439’s primary sponsors are Rep. Tristan Rader and Rep. Sean P. Brennan. SB 329 has had one public hearing with 70 proponent testimonies.
The Ohio Chapter opposes Senate Bill 294: Declare the State’s energy siting policy
Senate Bill 294 favors natural gas projects and erroneously defines natural gas as a “clean energy source.” It does not consider battery storage, a key component of renewable energy generation, when determining the reliability of a power source. The bill’s preference for energy projects with a “minimum capacity factor of fifty percent” would eliminate wind (34 percent) and solar (23 percent). SB 294 would put renewable energy generation further behind in Ohio, and it would continue to prop up natural gas.
SB294 was introduced in October 2025. Its primary sponsors are Sen. George Lang and Sen. Mark Romanchuk. SB294 has passed the Senate 24 to 9 with only Republican support. It was introduced in the House on June 16.
The following bills were signed into law
The Ohio Chapter opposed Senate Bill 219: Revise the law governing oil and gas well
Senate Bill 219 would expedite the review of drilling permits, curtail the authority of state agencies, and increase the length of basic oil and gas leases. The bill would make it easier for oil and gas operators to drill new wells, to keep those wells open longer, and to avoid responsibility for waste and orphaned wells.
SB219’s primary sponsor is Sen. Al Landis. It was introduced on October 14, 2025. SB 219 was passed by the Ohio House on June 3 2026 and the Ohio Senate on June 10 2026 and was sent to Governor DeWine. Governor Dewine signed this bill into law on June 24.
The Ohio Chapter opposed House Bill 170: Establishing a process for carbon capture and storage technology.
HB 170 would authorize and provide a regulatory structure for carbon capture and storage projects in Ohio. This bill would authorize the operation of underground carbon sequestration projects in Ohio, using carbon dioxide injection wells. The bill would preempt authorities other than the state Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management from exercising regulatory authority over underground carbon sequestration projects. The bill would also generally exempt injection well operators from liability associated with the carbon sequestration projects.
The bill would encourage more oil and gas activities in Ohio by providing carbon “offsets.” The regulatory system proposed in this bill is weak and porous, and it would be overseen by lawmakers and an agency with a poor track record of protecting human health and the environment. Proponent testimony came from the American Petroleum Institute, Ohio Oil and Gas Association, and 22 others. Opponent testimony included 36 statements from constituents and environmental protection grassroots organizations.
HB170’s primary sponsors were Rep. Monica Robb Blasdel and Rep. Bob Peterson. It passed both the House and the Senate and was sent to Gov. Dewine on June 12. Gov. Dewine signed this bill into law on June 24.
Join Our Legislative Team!
You are invited to the next monthly meeting of our Ohio Chapter Legislative Committee!
Wednesday, July 1 · 6:00 – 7:00pm
Google Meet joining info: Video call link
