March, 2008

Dear Neighbors,

Energy production holds the promise of a prosperous tomorrow for Ohio. Wind energy is now competitive in price with coal generated energy. Fuel cells, solar, bio-gas and waste gasification all are breaking upon the market. As Ohioans we need to have the courage and the boldness to reach out and grasp this marvelous future.

I am very thankful that the Speaker of the House named me chair of the newly created Alternative Energy Committee for 2007/2008. Our committee began the year by contacting the Ohio Academy of Science. The Academy recommended Dr. Henry Cialone of the Edison Welding Center to advise us. Through his vision and the vision of others, we see a wonderful future for Ohioans. We see over 3000 great white masts rising out of Lake Erie. Blades longer than a football field slowly turn in the strong continuous winds that stir the shallow waters. We see an Ohio where farms, land fills and sewage treatment plants capture their methane. This gas, which once polluted our air, is the fuel for mini turbines and fuel cells, thereby producing vast quantities of electricity. We see an Ohio where cities and industry gasify much of their waste. This high temperature process turns the waste into energy producing gas and leaves behind only glass bricks or ash, material ready to be used in new construction. In this new Ohio solar cells cover many of the flat warehouse roofs. All of this new source electricity provides profit for its owners. Small business and farm owners sell their excess electricity onto the grid. Our power sources, now numbering in the thousands and distributed throughout the state, are safe from natural disaster and terrorism. In this future, coal is important. It is converted to jet fuel and diesel fuel and therefore we are no longer dependent upon Mid-east oil. Clean burning, coal power plants still provide dependable energy to Ohio factories and homes, but half of our electric needs come from non polluting alternative energy such as wind, sun, and bio-gas.

It is a marvelous future bequeathing clean air, blue skies, and clear water to our children and grandchildren. It is an Ohio green with forests and abundant with wildlife. It is a prosperous Ohio with tens of thousands of new job opportunities related to the production of our own home grown energy. May Heaven grant us the wisdom, patience and courage to welcome this challenge and this gift.

Please email or call with your ideas or thoughts.

Sincerely,

Jim McGregor

20th House District*

Ohio House of Representatives

*Gahanna, Bexley, Whitehall and parts of Reynoldsburg, Westerville,
New Albany and east Columbus