Ohio truly is the heart of it all. We are a state of diverse people and resources; with rural towns and large cities, small businesses and large Fortune 500 companies, along with valuable natural resources like Lake Erie, Appalachia Ohio, and the farm belt.
This diversity offers Ohio the opportunity to lead the nation in developing a low carbon economy, and the good, high paying jobs that come with it. From research institutions to manufacturing firm to agriculture, Ohio has the resources and infrastructure necessary to prosper, create jobs, and rebuild our economy.
What we need is political leadership to develop policies that can energize the clean energy economy and put Ohioans to work building the products for the 21st century. Ohio is already a leading producer of biofuels, solar panels, and the components that go into wind turbines. This is just the beginning of what could become multi-billion dollar industries employing tens of thousands in Ohio.
Innovative and pragmatic federal policies are needed to realize the opportunity of clean energy jobs for Ohio and across the country. By utilizing market based policies like cap-and-trade, our country can address global warming, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and spur economic investments and job creation.