Thursday, August 13, 2026 6:30 PM –  7:30 PM ET

Data Centers are changing Ohio’s landscape and reshaping our communities in big cities like Columbus and small towns like Clarington. Today, there are 200 and counting data centers in Ohio – the fifth highest among all the states. 

In exchange for generous handouts from statehouse politicians, big tech corporations made big promises for Ohio. Now, they’re driving up our electric bills, draining our fresh water, and cutting secret deals with local governments. 

Ohioans can come together and ensure we get to have a say over what happens in our communities.  

We will hear from policy experts, and a local official. We will lay out the facts and offer reasonable policies and paths forward to protect Ohio communities. 

Join us on Thursday, August 13th from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm on Zoom.

This will be a virtual event hosted on Zoom. Details will be emailed to you.

Great Southern Metro Park just opened. But what does a new park actually mean for the people who live around it?

On August 25, OEC’s Emerging Leaders group is hosting a guided tour of Ohio’s newest metro park, led by Executive Director Tim Maloney and OEC’s team of environmental experts. As we walk the trails, we’ll talk about the bigger picture: how environmental projects like this one affect local economies, public health, and the day-to-day lives of the communities they touch.

This is a chance to see firsthand how environmental work connects to jobs, wellbeing, and the strength of a community. Whether you’re new to advocacy or you’ve been at this for years, you’ll leave with a clearer sense of why this work matters.

No hiking experience required. Just good shoes and curiosity.

Spots are limited, so grab yours now.

How can Columbus reduce energy use in its largest buildings while creating healthier, more efficient spaces for the people who live and work in them? We want to hear from you.

Join Sustainable Columbus, CREDA, and the Ohio Environmental Council for a drop-in community office hours session on Monday, August 18, from 5:30–7:30 p.m. at 556 E. Town St., Columbus, OH to learn more about the draft Building Energy Performance Standard (BEPS) and share your feedback.

The proposed policy is designed to help large, existing buildings improve energy efficiency over time, reducing energy waste while supporting a more sustainable Columbus.

Stop by anytime during office hours to:

• Ask questions about the draft policy.
• Share your ideas and feedback directly with policy experts.
• Connect with fellow community members over light food and refreshments.

We encourage you to review the draft before attending so we can jump right into your questions and discussion. If you can’t make it in person, you can still make your voice heard by completing the public feedback survey, available through August 30.

Parking: Free street parking is available near the venue. Please reference the parking map for more information.

We hope you’ll join us to help shape the future of energy-efficient buildings in Columbus.

RSVP today—we look forward to seeing you!

Join the Ohio Environmental Council for our next Action Briefing, a virtual event for OEC members to learn about the policies we are advancing and the actions you can take to make a difference.   

As the Bureau of Land Management recently announced that companies can bid on parcels of the Wayne National Forest for oil and gas extraction starting September 15^th, now is the time for us to build a shared understanding of what this means for the future of the WNF, the nearby communities, public lands across Ohio.  

Join OEC’s Senior Attorney for Land and Water, Nathan Johnson, at our next Action Briefing on August 12th. This event will include:

• A clear understanding of the history of legal challenges to unlawful fracking in the Wayne National Forest and key court decisions that have led to this moment. 
• Insight into the proposed September oil and gas lease sale, including what’s happening now and what it could mean for public lands.
• An opportunity to ask questions and hear direct from our experts on this case and why your actions matter.

This event is $25 and includes a year-long membership with the OEC. Already a member? Reach out to oec@theoec.org to access this event.

Columbus Stand Up is hosting a Community Cookout this Saturday, July 18th at the Maroon Arts Group Box Park and OEC’s very own Karin Nordstrom will be joining a panel discussion on rising utility costs and data centers. The event is free to attend and offers free food.

Special Event on September 24: Utility Advocate Convening 

This year, we’re expanding the schedule of events for the Ohio Public Interest Environmental Law Conference to include a second day! We’re calling all public utility advocates to join us for a special advocacy convening on September 24, 2026. The Utility Advocate Convening will be a unique deep dive into all issues related to rate making, electricity affordability, and other matters overseen by public utilities commissions across the country. Tickets for the convening are sold separately, but a ticket for the convening also registers you for the law conference!

On Friday, September 25th, the Ohio Environmental Council is excited to host the 2026 Ohio Public Interest Environmental Law Conference starting at 10am in Saxbe Auditorium at the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. For the 2026 conference, we are once again collaborating with the Ohio State University’s Environmental Professionals Network, whose monthly breakfast will begin the day in the WOSU Sandy and Andy Ross Community Studio (1800 N. Pearl St. Columbus, OH 43201). Your ticket for the law conference includes admission to the OSU Environmental Professionals Network Breakfast at 7:30am before the law conference. You can learn more about EPN’s breakfast session this year at this link. If you’re unable to make EPN’s breakfast, feel free to join us at 10am for the start of the law conference! 

So Let’s Talk About Data Centers! 

Join community leaders and experts for conversations about the local decisions, laws, and policies responding to the environmental impacts of data center development in Ohio and beyond. Sessions will explore the roles of land use, zoning, community advocacy, judicial decision-making, and state policies in addressing data centers’ environmental effects and opportunities. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the legal landscape surrounding data center development and valuable tools they can wield in their own communities. 

Whether you’ve been thinking about data centers for years, or you’re just now starting to consider their environmental impacts, we encourage you to join us in conversation on September 25, 2026.  

Pending certification by the Ohio Supreme Court, attorneys attending the Ohio Public Interest Environmental Law Conference will receive CLE credit (if they cannot attend the entire day, partial credit is permissible). 

Law Conference Ticket Details 

1. Attorney Registration: $100, includes breakfast, lunch, CLE credit (pending approval by the Ohio Supreme Court) 

2. Advocate Registration: $50, includes breakfast, lunch 

3. Student Registration: Free! Includes breakfast, lunch 

4. Utility Advocate Convening (includes ticket to law conference): $200, two-day event! 

Join the Ohio Environmental Council and our Cleveland partners for an OEC meetup event at Rid-All Urban Farm, followed by a Pints and Policy happy hour at Black Frog Brewery (1966 E. 66Sth, Cleveland, OH 44103).  This event is free and open to all.   

Rid-All Green Partnership is an exciting project that transformed vacant, blighted land into a thriving community green space, rooted in food access, educational and economic opportunity and community health. Randy McShepherd, co-founder of Rid-All Urban Farm, will lead a tour of the farm and we’ll learn more about the work OEC is doing in Cleveland along with the collective impact OEC and partners like Rid-All are making in the Cleveland Metro area. We hope you can join to celebrate what’s possible when we work together and foster connection for our common good!

*Attendees are welcome to come for as little or as long as you’d like.  

The OEC Emerging Leaders program invites you to Plant Swap and Picnic! Bring your extra plants and pots to swap with friends. We will also provide potting soil, snacks, and drinks!

The OEC’s Law Center Webinar Series is partnering up with Ohio Fair Court Alliance this summer for a three part webinar series on Fair Courts & the Environment.

Join us for the final session of our Fair Courts & The Environment summer series, Understanding the Intersection of State Agencies, the Courts & Your Utility Bills. State agencies like the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, the Ohio Power Siting Board, and others have their decisions appealed directly to the Ohio Supreme Court. This means judges elected by the people  of Ohio have a direct impact on your utility bills. Our featured panelists, Environmental Law and Policy Center’s Erica McConnell and the Ohio Environmental Council’s Chris Tavenor, will walk us through how utility bill cases end up before the Ohio Supreme Court, and how judges review those cases.

The OEC’s Law Center Webinar Series is partnering up with Ohio Fair Court Alliance this summer for a three part webinar series on Fair Courts & the Environment.

In our second part of our summer series, Fair Courts & The Environment, join us for Judges, Judicial Philosophy, & the Environment. We are excited to dive deeply into how environmental issues intersect with some of the thorniest judicial challenges, such as standing! Attorney Chris Tavenor from the Ohio Environmental Council and Professor Randi Leppla from the Case Western Environmental Law Clinic will walk us through the complexities of the rules of civil procedure and how philosophies like judicial temperament  impact why some environmental cases are successful and others are not.  Join us for an exciting discussion!

The OEC’s Law Center Webinar Series is partnering up with Ohio Fair Court Alliance this summer for a three part webinar series on Fair Courts & the Environment.

Do you want  to understand more about Ohio courts and environmental law and policy? Do you want to consider how the courts impact our environmental protections like air and water quality? Do you want to learn best practices for developing environmental cases? This is the webinar for you! Join attorneys Chris Tavenor from the Ohio Environmental Council and Addison Caruso from Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services as they discuss the different types of environmental litigation and how to pursue environmental protection through the courts in Ohio. This session is the first in our three-part summer series: Fair Courts & The Environment. We hope you can join us for all three sessions!

We hope you’ll join us at the 2026 Midwest Sustainability Summit, hosted by Green Umbrella on June 12th at the Sharonville Convention Center. 

As the keystone event of #CincinnatiClimateWeek, the Summit features nearly 100 speakers, 45 exhibitors, an art show, and live performances! 

The Summit serves as a spark for connecting and learning together, deepening our resolve, and celebrating collaborative climate solutions. This year’s theme, Adapt Today, Thrive Tomorrow, calls us to put resilience into practice, not only to withstand the shocks of our time but to evolve and thrive through them. 

Check out this year’s program at https://midwestsustainabilitysummit.org/ 

Join us for an in-person conference to discuss the impacts and intersections of data centers and Intel’s projects in Ohio. Lunch provided. OEC’s Vice President of Governmental Affairs, Spencer Dirrig, will be speaking at the Third Panel, titled “How can Ohioans hold the tech industry accountable?”

Panels include:

Panel #1: What is the impact on Ohio’s resources?

• Moderator: Molly Bryden, Climate and Sustainability Researcher, Policy Matters Ohio
• Madhumita Dutta, Associate Professor of Geography, Ohio State University
• Luke Sulfridge, Executive Director, Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC)
• Lenny Siegel, Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
• Madison Hill, Deputy Director (Sustainability, Regulatory Compliance, and Policies), Columbus Water and Power

Panel #2: What are the real labor and workforce development opportunities?

• Moderator: Bailey Sandin, Work and Wages Researcher, Policy Matters Ohio
• Dorsey Hager, Executive Secretary Treasurer, Columbus/Central Ohio Building Trades Council
• Pat Hook, Business Manager, IBEW Local 683
• Anibel Ferus-Comelo, Director, UC Berkley Labor Center
• Rand Wilson, Strategic Advisor, CHIPS Communities United

Panel #3: How can Ohioans hold the tech industry accountable?

• Moderator: Judith Barish, Coalition Director, CHIPS Communities United
• Addison Caruso, Staff Attorney, Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services
• Spencer Dirrig, Vice President of Government Affairs, Ohio Environmental Council
• Quintin Koger Kidd, Community Advocate, Wilmington, Ohio
• Fourth panelist to be announced

Join the Ohio Environmental Council for our next Action Briefing, a virtual event for OEC members to learn about the policies we are advancing and the actions you can take to make a difference.  

This program will examine data centers, what their accelerated growth means for Ohio, and what tools are available to empower communities.  

Hear from OEC’s Vice President of Government Affairs Spencer Dirrig for a discussion on: 

• Understanding what data centers are and their environmental impacts 

• Examining the rise of data centers in Ohio, and how their growth will impact our day to day 

• Current policies aimed at shaping data centers to prioritize sustainable growth 

• Practical tools available for communities that are facing incoming data center development.  

Already a member? Reach out to oec@theoec.org to access this event. 

About this event

Join Ohio Citizen Action and the Ohio Environmental Council for a webinar on March 30 at 6 PM. We are welcoming Karin Nordstrom to talk about the Ohio Power Siting Board’s process for utility-scale solar and the legal processes behind it. Can’t wait to see you there!

Free CLE and General Admission Tickets

How should Ohio evaluate whether large‑scale solar and other electric generation projects truly serve the public interest? 

Join the Ohio Environmental Council Law Center for a timely CLE webinar examining how Ohio’s legal and regulatory framework for utility‑scale electric generation siting has evolved over the past five years following the passage of SB 52—and where it may be headed next. 

This program will focus on current law and policy surrounding the siting of utility‑scale solar and other electric generation projects in Ohio, with particular attention to decisions issued by the Ohio Supreme Court and proceedings before the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB). Central to the discussion will be how both venues have interpreted and applied Ohio law requiring that projects serve the “public interest.” 

Join OEC General Counsel Chris Tavenor, OEC Senior Attorney for Clean Energy Karin Nordstrom, and OEC Managing Director of Energy Policy Nolan Rutschilling for a discussion on: 

• The current landscape of solar and electric generation project applications 

• Key case law and active litigation shaping OPSB decision‑making 

• Emerging trends—and inconsistencies—in public interest determinations 

• Policy opportunities to improve clarity, fairness, and predictability in the siting process 

The presentation will conclude with an interactive audience Q&A. 

The Ohio Environmental Council Emerging Leaders program invites you to Elevate Your Voice: Advocacy 201, an interactive training night designed to strengthen your skills, deepen your confidence, and help you make meaningful environmental change in your community.

Whether you’re stepping up from Advocacy 101 or joining for the first time, this session offers practical, hands‑on learning led by experienced organizers and policy experts. The night concludes with a conversation featuring Columbus City Councilmember Chris Wyche, who will share insights on how residents can engage effectively with local leaders.

We’re excited to launch our new Action Briefing virtual event series for OEC members. These briefings give you a chance to learn about the policies we’re advancing, how they affect your daily life, and the actions we can take together to build a cleaner, more affordable energy future.

Already a member? Reach out to oec@theoec.org to access this event. 

Join the Ohio Environmental Council and Rising Appalachia for an inaugural OEC meetup event at Solid Ground Farm and site of the future Sugar Creek Community Forest. This event will be family-friendly, with childcare and youth engagement provided by Rising Appalachia.

If you haven’t yet heard about the Community Forest, this is an exciting collaborative project that aims to bring together diverse partners including regional nonprofits, foundations, educational institutions, businesses, community members, and government officials to advance and share our work to grow a regenerative conservation/economic model right here in Appalachian Ohio. The Community Forest is grounded in regenerative land management practices, community input, and culturally appropriate economic opportunities. We’ll walk the Land together and learn about winter tree identification while also learning about opportunities to get involved. The Sugar Creek Community Forest is the first model of its kind in Ohio. We hope you can join to celebrate what’s possible when we work together and foster connection for our common good.

Program Overview

Twenty years ago, the Big Darby Accord marked a groundbreaking commitment to protect one of Ohio’s most ecologically significant waterways while guiding responsible regional growth. The Big Darby Creek, a Scenic River that is home to extraordinary fish and mussel diversity despite covering just one percent of the state’s land area, has long been a symbol of what collaboration can achieve. Today, as development pressures rise and new faces enter the planning process, much of the original inspiration and hard-earned lessons risk being forgotten.

This Environmental Professionals Network program is about more than policy. It is about reconnecting with the stories, values, and vision that shaped the Accord. Our panel will share firsthand experiences from those who helped craft the original agreement, revealing how scientists, planners, homebuilders, and conservationists worked together to balance competing interests. We will revisit pivotal moments—from early biodiversity discoveries to the tensions surrounding a failed proposal to make the Big Darby a National Wildlife Refuge—and explore why collaboration remains essential today.