Declare certain natural gas producers are not public utilities

HB 121 defines "renewable natural gas" as biologically derived methane meeting pipeline standards and specifies that producers without on-site pipeline injection capability are not considered public utilities. This directly affects certain renewable natural gas producers who lack the infrastructure to connect directly to gas pipelines. The bill’s key mechanism reclassifies these producers out of the public utility regulatory framework by removing them from the definition of "public utility" under Ohio law. The change would exempt them from utility-specific regulations, such as rate oversight or service requirements, without altering their operational standards. The bill is currently in committee after introduction on February 24, 2025.