Ohio Can’t Lose the Fossil Fuel Industry

May 7, 2021

The energy industry continues to be a hot button issue in politics. The fact of the matter is the oil and gas industry is vital to communities across the country. Yet, the eco-left in Congress continue to attack the industry that employs their constituents and powers their homes. Recently, the House Oversight Committee invited Greta Thunberg to testify, who then of course shared misinformation regarding the fossil fuel industry just like this administration has. Misleading the public to push a green agenda isn’t in the interest of the American people. Energy-rich states across the country, like Ohio, depend on the industry for jobs, local revenue, and cheap, reliable energy.

Cleveland.com reports:

Let’s start with jobs. According to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, as of the third quarter of 2019, the oil and gas industry employed more than 208,000 Ohioans.

That means there are 208,000 Ohioans putting food on the table because of the oil and gas industry. It means there are 208,000 Ohioans paying property and income taxes that support Ohio schools, police, and fire departments. If these jobs disappeared, we’d all feel the effects of it.

The Biden administrations attacks on the oil and gas industry have major consequences to these communities and will have disastrous ripple effects across the country.

An independent study by Cleveland State University which was commissioned by JobsOhio shows that from 2011 through the second quarter of 2020, the industry invested an estimated $90.6 billion into Ohio — much of which was invested in Ohio shale counties in eastern Ohio.

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What about the industry’s impact on emissions? Between 2005 and 2015, Ohio’s power sector cut its CO2 emissions by 37.7%, or 50 million metric tons annually, per U.S. Energy Information Administration data. Ohio led the nation in reducing emissions by a wide margin. Why? Because during that time frame, Ohio drastically increased its use of natural gas to power our homes and businesses. The widespread use of natural gas has been so effective in reducing CO2 emissions from power generation that U.S. CO2 emissions were hitting 25-year lows even before the pandemic began.

This shows just how important the energy industry is for Ohio. With billions of dollars being invested back into the state it is mind blowing that our elected officials are arguing to get rid of the industry. On top of all the economic benefits the industry brings, they have also cut emissions by 37.7% in a ten-year span. But the eco-left continues to leave the technology and innovation the industry has invested in to combat climate change out of their messaging. The energy sector employs millions of jobs across the U.S. and brings in billions in revenue for local communities to fund infrastructure, schools, and other vital community programs. This administrations and the eco-left’s misleading messaging and attacks on the industry is detached from the interests on the American people. States like Ohio deserve better.