Hi Don,
Senator Schaffer told us that we will receive public speaking proponent Testimony next week on Tuesday at 3:00 PM!
Senator Kent Smith and Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson gave excellent sponsor testimony to kick us off in the Senate. Now it's our job as concerned citizens to show the committee that citizens really care!
The agenda is not officially set for next week's hearings and we won't know for sure until Friday afternoon. If you have availability on Tuesday afternoon, please block your calendar to give testimony! We'll be following up via email no matter what!
You'll need to submit your testimony by Monday afternoon, so put something together right away!
Here's some talking points you can mention in your testimony:
- Ohio Department of Health released a study in 2022 that recommended against the use of deicers derived from oil and gas waste brine due to "the increased levels of human exposure to radiation."
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources studied brine from 107 wells across Ohio in 26 different counties and 10 different formations. Each sample was considered too radioactive to discharge into the environment according to the Ohio Administrative Code.
- Ohio Department of Transportation and Ohio Turnpike Commission both discontinued use of deicers derived from oil and gas waste.
- A peer reviewed study from Dr. Burgos at Penn State University demonstrated that oil and gas waste applied to roadways is ineffective as a dust suppressant and rapidly degrades gravel roads.
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Oil and Gas Waste is untested to contents of Volatile Organic Compounds and radionuclides before it is spread on roadways.
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Ohio farmers can sell to burgeoning markets of safer alternative deicers and dust suppressants created from beets and soybeans.
Can't make it? You can still help by calling members of the Ag & Natural Resources Committee urging them to support SB 329 and HB 439 (and don't forget to ask when they plan to have their next hearings)! You can also watch on the Ohio Channel.
Let's keep pushing! We're closer than we've ever been before!
Sincerely,
Anton Krieger
