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Senate committee hears witnesses denounce labeling nuclear energy 'green' as substitute HB 308 is reported out
Summary
Opponents told the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee that classifying nuclear power as 'green' would mislead the public, raise costs, and ignore radioactive-waste risks; after amendments, the committee favorably reported the substitute bill to Rules and Reference.
The Ohio Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee on an unspecified date held a third hearing on substitute House Bill 308, during which a string of opponents argued the bill would inappropriately classify nuclear power as “green” energy and saddle communities and ratepayers with costs and long-lived radioactive waste.
Lee Blackburn, a witness who opened public testimony, told the committee he was “shocked to see that members of our legislature would actually consider nuclear in any of its forms to be green energy,” calling the measure “greenwashing in its most elemental form.” David Green, presenting as a utility ratepayer, warned that nuclear is the most expensive energy source for customers and said the committee should protect ratepayers’ pocketbooks. Multiple other witnesses raised health, safety and historical cleanup concerns tied to Portsmouth/Piketon and other sites.
Pat Bridal with the Ohio Nuclear Free Network said state efforts to support nuclear have relied heavily on public funds and highlighted a newly created Ohio Nuclear Development Authority (with a reported $750,000 budget) as a vehicle that, in Bridal’s view, amplifies nuclear promotion without required results. Vina Colley, who testified from Pike/Portsmouth, described worker illnesses and local contamination concerns and opposed proposals to site small modular reactors at that complex. Dr. Julie Wetherington Rice, an earth scientist, emphasized the lack of a permanent storage solution for high‑level radioactive waste.
Committee members then considered several amendments. Senator McCauley’s AM 3072 (clarifying cost recovery related to broadband pole replacement and undergrounding) was adopted; a separate amendment to clarify residential billing parity for accessory structures (AM 135‑3185) was introduced and then tabled after a roll call. Two further amendments (AM 3026, extending certain state oil and gas lease terms from three to five years; and AM 3028, clarifying permissible uses of a general disposal fee by local health departments) were accepted and incorporated into the substitute bill.
After amendment activity, Senator McCauley moved to favorably report substitute House Bill 308 to the Committee on Rules and Reference. The clerk called the roll and the chair announced the bill was favorably reported; the chair also granted legislative service commission (LSC) permission to harmonize amendments for the substitute. The committee closed the third hearing on the bill.
The hearing placed emphasis on community health, long‑term waste management and cost concerns while the committee’s amendment process adjusted unrelated programmatic language and clarified funding and leasing provisions. The substitute bill will proceed to Rules and Reference for further consideration.
Ending: The committee asked members to sign the vote sheet and left the roll open for two hours; LSC was authorized to harmonize amendments for the substitute and the committee moved on to its next scheduled hearing.
