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Read. Follow. Verify.Ohio HB 853 establishes power siting board certification, safety reporting, and decommissioning rules for natural gas fuel cell facilities
Last action · May 13, 2026: Referred to EnergySponsors: Christine Cockley and 1 other
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What This Bill Would Do
Ohio House Bill 853 requires owners and operators of facilities to submit comprehensive decommissioning plans, post s, share safety information with local fire departments, and report accidents to s. The measure sets certification and decommissioning rules through the power siting board for uncertified facilities while applying safety and reporting requirements to all facilities regardless of certification status.
Local fire departments, municipal corporations, and township trustees gain formal notification channels for safety planning and accident reporting, while future facility operators face mandatory engineering plans and bonding requirements equal to total decommissioning costs.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Natural gas fuel cell facility owners and operators
Facility owners and operators must prepare engineering decommissioning plans, post and periodically update performance bonds, provide site plans to local fire departments, and submit written incident reports to local political subdivisions.
Local fire departments
Local fire departments receive site plans, maps, and technology information from facility operators to assist with fire and safety planning.
Local political subdivisions
Municipal corporations and townships receive written reports detailing accidents, adverse activities, causes, and corrective actions from facility operators.
Power siting board
The power siting board reviews and approves decommissioning plans, holds performance bonds as obligee, and has authority to reject applicant-chosen engineers.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What information must facility operators share with local fire departments?
When must a decommissioning plan be submitted to the power siting board?
Can a performance bond be decreased if decommissioning cost estimates go down?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
2 actions- May 13, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred to Energy
- May 12, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legislature.ohio.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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