While solar companies have dominated the conversation in Union County lately, they aren’t the only ones looking to be part of the energy discussion.
Mitch Given with The Empowerment Alliance (TEA), an organization that supports natural gas expansion, told the county commissioners Wednesday that gas is what the county should be looking toward.
“We just want to, number one, get out and remind people the good news of natural gas and the shale play in Ohio and how that’s changed things as far as energy in Ohio and our ability to grow,” he said.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “shale plays” refer to a “set of discovered, undiscovered or possible natural gas accumulations that exhibit similar geological characteristics.”
These are available in the state, which makes Ohio a natural resource for extraction and production, he said, and it’s especially crucial given the need.
“The problem that we get into is that many areas of Ohio still lack access to natural gas, any natural gas or adequate natural gas. I know that’s a problem here, right in Union County,” Given added.
He said he talked with Eric Phillips, the county’s economic development director who also serves as board chair for the Ohio Gas Access Partnership (OGAP), about the issue and plans to speak at the chamber of commerce soon.
OGAP has released information that illustrates the gas capacity limitations that it says will eventually impact Madison, Union, Pickaway and Franklin counties and that in Union County, “natural gas capacity may be fully utilized within five years at current growth rates.”
Beyond that, not replacing the closing of coal plants with natural gas options further forces the state to scramble to satisfy energy demands, Given said.
He added natural gas access could greatly help with that demand thanks to the U.S.’s reliable supply.
According to information from TEA, the country has over 100 years of natural gas supply, with much of it coming from the eastern, southern and western mountain regions of the U.S.
Ohio is the nation’s sixth largest producing state and the seventh largest in storage capacity, Given said.
For Ohio gas lobbyists, the state needs to do two things to maximize the potential of natural gas and that is to expand the pipeline distribution network and increase natural gas-fired electric generation.
While some gas lines exist in the county and state, what is available isn’t nearly enough, Given said.
TEA identified the obstacles of high taxes on private pipeline companies and subsidies given to renewable energy policies as reasons why gas can’t expand.
Solutions to those problems, Given said, would be as simple as lowering tax rates for private companies and building more natural gas-fired power plants.
TEA is also working with OGAP to push House Bill 349 through the state legislature, which would make money available to counties to eventually get gas lines in place.
“And that would basically create Energize Ohio Zones where there’s a revolving loan fund where counties can use that funding to purchase easements for gas lines,” Given said. “They will pay it back later so it doesn’t cause ratepayers any money.”
He said as the group moves to make policy changes, he hopes local governments will support them.
Union County is already part of OGAP and the commissioners said they and Given were already on the same page.
Commissioner Dave Burke said he thought HB 349 was a good idea but said he did have a concern over the possible use of tax increment financing (TIF) dollars, or tax money that could be diverted away from assisting with public infrastructure.
“My only piece of advice would be, and I have no problem with those payments for pipes in the ground, I just cringe because of some of the TIF stuff we’re seeing here, if TIF dollars now were used to lay down natural gas lines for a developer. I just cringe at that,” Burke said, adding that he thought it would be currently considered as eligible infrastructure.
Given said he agreed that could be an issue and would be something TEA could explore.