FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 16, 2023

Ohio Climate and Clean Energy Supporters Celebrate the One-Year Anniversary of IRA

COLUMBUS, OH-Today marks the one-year anniversary of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the first major piece of legislation passed by Congress to address climate change, clean energy, and public health in the nation’s history. Just one year after its passage, the IRA is already improving the lives of Ohioans.

According to a recently released report by Climate Power “Clean Energy Boom,” Ohio will benefit from $4.8 billion in investments for new clean energy projects and has announced the creation of 3,550 jobs in the state since passage of the IRA. Private companies have announced $31 billion in manufacturing investments for Ohio since 2021, including $20 billion from Intel for semiconductor manufacturing, $8 billion for batteries and electric vehicles, and another $2 billion for clean energy manufacturing through the Investing in America agenda.

The Administration has also awarded $7.2 billion for public infrastructure projects in Ohio, including $27 million from the Low or No-Emissions Grant Program for the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) to replace diesel buses at the end of their useful life with battery electric ones.

This focus on clean energy and workforce development has resulted in Columbus being chosen as a Workforce Hub, a program of the Administration to ensure that students and workers have access to training and family-sustaining jobs.

To enable Ohio local governments, businesses, non-profits, and community members with the resources they need to take advantage of historic financial opportunities provided through this landmark legislative investment, Power a Clean Future Ohio (PCFO) has launched the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Resource Hub.

The IRA Resource Hub serves as a one-stop shop for Ohio stakeholders looking to learn more about the act. The hub offers a broad range of resources and serves as a foundation where PCFO will continue to communicate historic climate investments in Ohio as more information is available. Visitors can access high-quality information about the proposed act and its potential benefits to their homes, places of work, and community. The goal of the PCFO IRA Resource Hub is to empower Ohioans with education about funding opportunities and how to access those opportunities so that we can take action on reducing carbon emissions in our state.

Joe Flarida, Executive Director of Power a Clean Future Ohio said, “PCFO’s work is dedicated to promoting clean energy technologies and climate solutions in Ohio, and federal legislation has become a critical component of that. The anniversary of the IRA is the perfect time for local governments, non-profits, businesses, and residents to utilize the hub to access federal grants and tax credits through the IRA, which can be used to fund the adoption of these technologies to lower emissions and reduce financial burdens on households and businesses.” 

In 2022, Ohio had over 47,000 Electric Vehicles (EV) already registered in the state, a 38% increase over 2021 registrations. Switching to electric vehicles can save drivers of pickup trucks over $1700 per year in fueling and maintenance costs compared to a gasoline-powered truck, with drivers of smaller cars saving over $1200 per year. The Inflation Reduction Act will make it easier and cheaper to purchase these electric vehicles, with upfront discounts up to $7,500 for new EVs and $4,000 for used EVs.

“A year ago, we took on the most powerful special interests in Washington to lower drug prices and energy costs, create good-paying Ohio jobs and grow new industries, and rein in corporate stock buybacks that reward CEOs at the expense of workers,” said US Senator Sherrod Brown. “The Inflation Reduction Act is already saving Ohioans money at the pharmacy counter and spurring Ohio to lead the country in manufacturing the technology of the future – and those cost savings and Ohio jobs will only grow in the coming years.”

The Inflation Reduction Act includes an unprecedented $369 billion investment in cutting climate pollution. It will put the nation on a path to an estimated 40 percent reduction in emissions by 2030.

“The programs funded through the Inflation Reduction Act are poised to make a life-changing difference for the 153,000 Ohio children who suffer with asthma,” said Tracy Sabetta, Ohio State Coordinator with Moms Clean Air Force. “As we celebrate the one-year anniversary, we realize that clean energy investments, clean transportation initiatives, and energy efficiency incentives will work together to reduce harmful air pollution and protect the health of Ohio’s families and children.”