Ohio lawmakers hear testimony on bills to let counties impose permissive fees, withdraw from regional solid waste districts

Senate Bill 147 and companion House Bill 222 drew hours of testimony focused on the Sunnyfarms/Wind Waste landfill near Fostoria and on allowing counties more local control and permissive fees for construction-and-demolition debris.

Sponsor testimony opened the discussion. "So let's talk trash," Senator Bill Reineke said, describing constituent concerns about out‑of‑state waste arriving by rail and the growth in disposal at the Seneca County site. He and local officials told the House Community Revitalization Committee that current state fee structures and district governance limit local authorities’ ability to respond to health and quality‑of‑life impacts.

Why it matters: proponents say the bills would allow counties that host disproportionately large landfills to adopt a permissive per‑ton disposal fee for construction and demolition debris (C&D) and to withdraw from multi‑county solid waste districts, directing more funds to local health and oversight. Opponents raised concerns about competitiveness and the potential for uneven application across counties but no formal opponent testimony was provided in the hearing record.

Details from testimony and documents

Sponsor and county officials described how Ohio’s fee structure has evolved and the mechanics at issue. The transcript shows a long explanation of existing fees and distributions: a $4.75 per‑ton fee on solid waste is split among state programs (including small…