Environment

HCR 13 is a resolution urging Congress to formally designate the Buckeye Trail as a National Scenic Trail. The bill does not create new law but requests federal action to recognize this 1,300-mile hiking trail, which runs through Ohio, as part of the National Scenic Trail System. It directly affects Ohio's trail system and potential federal management, though it has no binding effect on Congress. The key mechanism is a formal recommendation sent to the U.S. Congress, not a policy change enacted by Ohio. This is a procedural request, not a legislative action.

To amend sections 343.01, 343.011, 343.012, 343.022, 343.08, 3714.07, 3714.073, 3734.521, 3734.53, 3734.56, 3734.57, and 3734.574 and to enact section 3734.522 of the Revised Code to make changes to the laws governing the transfer and disposal of solid waste and construction and demolition debris and to provide for new procedures governing a county's withdrawal from a joint solid waste management district.

To amend sections 1533.10, 1533.11, 1533.111, 1533.32, and 1533.321 of the Revised Code to allow Ohio residents who are 65 and up, instead of 66 and up, to qualify for discounted hunting and fishing licenses and permits.

SB 2 creates a tax exemption program for developers building on former coal mines or brownfield sites in Ohio, offering five years of property tax relief to encourage investment in these economically distressed areas. It also clarifies that small renewable energy projects (under 50 megawatts, like solar farms, wind farms, and biogas digesters) can be regulated by local zoning boards without changing their tax classification as public utilities. The bill directly affects local governments, developers, and small renewable energy operators by streamlining approvals for these projects while preserving existing tax treatment. These changes aim to support grid reliability and affordability by facilitating new power generation in targeted communities.