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Legislation would prohibit solar radiation modification in Ohio
KEITH ARNOLD
Special to the Legal News
Published: December 30, 2024
A Montgomery County lawmaker has proposed a bill in the Ohio House of Representatives that would outlaw the deliberate release of pollutants into the atmosphere to affect the amount of sunlight or radiation that reaches the earth.
During a recent hearing of House Bill 529, Rep. Tom Young of Washington Township offered fellow House members a primer on the practice known as solar radiation modification, or SRM.
“SRM is defined as an experiment in the earth’s climatic system involving the release of pollutants that reduces the amount of sunlight reaching the earth’s surface,” Young said, citing HB 529. “I would direct you to lines 11-21 of this legislation, which define what pollutant means in this instance. Among other items it includes aerosol, biologic or genetically modified agents, soot and particulates.”
The Republican lawmaker said Congress recently conducted research into the implications, both scientific and societal, of the activity.
“Within this study they investigated SRM’s potential risks and benefits. One stated reason was to help prepare the United States for possible deployment of SRM by other public or private actors,” Young said.
He said the research noted that the activity likely would affect the ecosystem and biodiversity of areas in which it occurs.
“Additionally, it is stated that ‘interest in SRM is heightened as greenhouse gases continue to accumulate in the atmosphere and as science tells us more about the risks associated with exceeding global temperature targets,’” the lawmaker continued. “This is not just some conspiracy theory. Solar radiation modification is something that is occurring across our country and even Congress admits we do not have all the information yet on the potential health and ecological hazards that it may yield.”
Specifically, HB 529 would prohibit any person from engaging in the activity in Ohio, including through the use of an aircraft, balloon, space-based platform or interoperable ground-based facility.
The measure would require the state director of the Environmental Protection Agency to adopt policies and procedures regarding public monitoring and reporting the activity, to investigate reports of it and to issue cease-and-desist orders to persons determined to be conducting or attempting to conduct SRM.
HB 529 would establish a strict-liability offense for engaging in SRM or violating the director’s cease-and-desist order, and impose a $500,000 fine and/or a three-year prison sentence for each violation.
“While the EPA is currently made the enforcement agency, I am looking to change this to law enforcement such as the county sheriff or Highway Patrol,” Young said.
He said the state of Tennessee has signed similar legislation into law and a half-dozen other state legislatures–– including neighboring Kentucky and Pennsylvania––have introduced similar measures.
“This is not an issue unique to Ohio, but it is one that we need to address and show our constituents we are listening,” he added.
Three House members co-sponsor the measure, which awaits further consideration by members of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
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