This is an exclusive Moms Clean Air Force interview with Ohio State Representative David Leland:
What is unique about protecting the resources in your district?
I have a suburban district with a river, the Olentangy, running right through the middle of it — so water quality is very important in my district. But the river also serves as a great reminder that water quality anywhere can affect us everywhere. It seems like every day in Ohio, we hear about a new water quality issue: lead, algae blooms, problems with sewer systems. Oho legislators also exacerbate the problem with political attacks on the Federal Clean Water Act…and by eliminating land buffers that filter out contaminants around the reservoirs that provide our drinking water.. As the catalyst for the Clean Water Act in the first place (the burning of the Cuyahoga River) Ohio must re-double its efforts to protect this vital resource.
Are you worried about the effects of climate change on Ohio’s children?
Of course. As a father myself, I want my children and all of Ohio’s children, to grow up in an environment that is healthy and sustaining. It is clear that climate change will have (and is already having) huge, far-reaching effects. Besides the destruction of diverse ecosystems( some say the 6th extinction) and natural beauty, we know that pollution and climate change take a heavy toll on people’s lives—driving up the cost of food, making it difficult to live under extreme weather conditions, and increasing the levels of sickness (and therefore, healthcare costs). Our generation is the first generation to understand the causes of climate change (Tweet this) and we are the last generation to be able to do something about it.
Why is a bipartisan effort so important and how can these efforts be achieved in our politically polarizing culture?
Climate change affects all of us indiscriminately…Republican and Democrats. So fighting pollution and climate change and increasing access to clean energy is something that we must make sure everyone understands and supports. In Ohio specifically, we have a Republican controlled legislature and a Republican governor. So bipartisan legislation is a necessity if we want anything to be accomplished. Creating this level of bipartisanship takes individuals who understand that we all inhabit this planet, we all breathe the same air and drink the same water, that we all wish a bright future for our children and grandchildren. I firmly believe that we can achieve a bipartisan solution…because we must!
Is there anything you’d like to share that is important for Moms Clean Air Force members to know?
Climate change is the existential issue of our generation. Elected officials must know that significant numbers of their constituents view this as a priority. To do this, we must rally together in a unified manner, and find ways to engage everyone in our cause.
Representative David Leland has lived in the 22nd Ohio House District for more than 44 years; always committed to making this north Columbus community a better place to live and work. First elected to the Ohio House of Representatives at age 29, he authored seven bills into law and was voted the outstanding freshman State Representative of the 115th Ohio General Assembly. In 1995, Leland was elected to the first of four terms as Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party. He chaired the Ohio delegations to the 1996 and 2000 Democratic National Conventions. In 2000 he was appointed to the Federal Service Impasses Panel by President Bill Clinton. As Finance Chair for Ted Strickland’s successful 2006 campaign for Ohio Governor, David raised a then-record amount of over $17 million. He later served as President/CEO of the Strickland-Fisher Inaugural Committee, Inc.