THE OHIO ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL

THE OEC ADVANCED SCIENCE-BASED, PEOPLE-CENTERED ADVOCACY THAT DELIVERED MEASURABLE POLICY OUTCOMES FOR OHIO'S LAND, WATER, ENERGY, AND DEMOCRACY. THROUGH SUSTAINED LEGISLATIVE ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION, COALITION LEADERSHIP, AND RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING, OEC FOCUSED MUCH OF ITS WORK ON ENERGY POLICY REFORM. THE RESULTING POLICY ELIMINATED LEGACY COAL SUBSIDIES, STRENGTHENED UTILITY OVERSIGHT, AND IMPROVED GRID TRANSPARENCY, REPRESENTING BIPARTISAN PROGRESS GROUNDED IN DATA AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY. FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF A MAJOR ENERGY BILL, OEC EDUCATED OHIOANS ABOUT ITS IMPACTS AND ENGAGED WITH THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF OHIO ON IMPLEMENTATION OF KEY ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION UTILITY TRANSPARENCY PROVISIONS.(PROGRAM NARRATIVE CONTINUES IN SCHEDULE O)OEC PROVIDED CONSISTENT ADVOCACY BEFORE REGULATORY STATE AGENCIES AND IN OTHER PUBLIC FORUMS TO DEFEND CLEAN WATER PROTECTIONS, SAFEGUARD PUBLIC LANDS, ADVANCE EQUITABLE CLEAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS, AND INCREASE DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION-MAKING. OUR TEAM PAIRED POLICY EXPERTISE WITH COMMUNITY VOICES, ENSURING THAT THOSE MOST IMPACTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY DECISIONS WERE REPRESENTED IN THE POLICYMAKING PROCESS.OEC'S ADVOCACY MODEL EMPHASIZES DURABLE CHANGE: ALIGNING RESEARCH, GRASSROOTS ENGAGEMENT, AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS TO MOVE POLICY FORWARD WHILE BUILDING LONG-TERM CAPACITY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP ACROSS OHIO.

OUR REGIONAL FIELD TEAM SUPPORTED COMMUNITY-DRIVEN ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY ACROSS OHIO, ENSURING LOCAL PRIORITIES SHAPED STATEWIDE POLICY OUTCOMES. IN SOUTHWEST OHIO, OEC LEVERAGED PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE CINCINNATI REGION TO ADVANCE CLEAN ENERGY, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT, ELEVATING COMMUNITY VOICES ON ENERGY AFFORDABILITY AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE. IN CLEVELAND, WE UNITED PARTNERS AND AMPLIFIED COMMUNITY VOICES TO ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL PRIORITIES SHAPED THE CITY'S SUSTAINABILITY AGENDA. THE YEAR ALSO INCLUDED THE STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT EVENT, CONVENING COALITION MEMBERS, MAYOR JUSTIN BIBB, AND LOCAL ADVOCATES TO STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION AND SHARED ACCOUNTABILITY IN ADVANCING CLEVELAND'S SUSTAINABILITY GOALS.(PROGRAM NARRATIVE CONTINUES IN SCHEDULE O)IN CENTRAL OHIO, OEC MOBILIZED ADVOCATES TO ENGAGE IN UTILITY ACCOUNTABILITY, GRID TRANSPARENCY, AND CLEAN ENERGY POLICY, SUPPORTING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND LEGISLATIVE OUTREACH FOR MAJOR REFORMS. IN SOUTHEAST OHIO, OEC WORKED WITH RURAL AND APPALACHIAN COMMUNITIES TO PROTECT PUBLIC LANDS AND WATERWAYS, ADDRESS EXTRACTION-RELATED CONCERNS, AND BUILD DURABLE, PLACE-BASED ADVOCACY CAPACITY. TOGETHER, OEC'S FIELD PROGRAM TRANSLATED LOCAL ENGAGEMENT INTO LASTING STATEWIDE ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS.