This is a Moms Clean Air Force exclusive interview with State Representative Dan Ramos of Lorain, Ohio:
What is unique about protecting the resources in your district?
My district sits on Lake Erie, with a large amount of coastline in Lorain, Vermillion, and Sheffield Lake. So protecting the lake is paramount. Not only is Lake Erie the main source for drinking water in my district, but it is also important for fish and wildlife, recreation, and industry. The Black River in my district supports trade, as well, and our local steel mills get their materials via freighter that travels down the river from the upper Great Lakes. We must make sure we protect the natural elements and natural habitats of the Black River while ensuring that ships are still able to come and go. So far, we have done a good job of preserving a clean, natural river habitat while still preserving our port.
The district is also interesting in that it is more urban and industrial to the north and rural to the south. The southern region is home to family farms, dairy farms, and orchards, as well as more traditional large scale crops like corn. We are proud of the healthy urban/rural mix. We have worked hard to protect what little forest land we have in the area, especially the wooded area near the farms. Protecting forest land near agricultural areas is critical, as it can often offset the use of fertilizers being used by some farmers. Recently, we worked closely with farmers on legislation that addresses agricultural run-off and clean water.
Finally, the city of Oberlin is working in close partnership with Oberlin College to increase and highlight the benefits of sustainable living. The “Oberlin Project” was named by President Clinton’s Foundation as a green model for a city of its size (under 10,000). The city and college collaboration allows the area to try a lot of different things to reduce pollution, increase green space, and foster green energy development. This effort relies on a strong partnership between the city and College.
Are you worried about the effects of climate change on Ohio’s children?
I am very worried about this. We have already seen studies showing that levels of childhood diseases such as asthma have increased, especially in urban areas. I believe that climate change is a trigger. As climate change impacts increase, it will only make this worse. There is evidence to show that the water levels in the Great Lakes will decrease as temperatures increase with climate change. The Lake Erie watershed is not a drastically large area. As temperatures increase, storms will become more severe. As that happens, water will travel outside of the watershed. My entire district and thousands of other people rely on that as our water source. A large section of our economy is also based on that watershed.
The science of climate change is something we also need to start teaching our kids. Current science curriculum includes the Heliocentric Solar System and Newton’s laws. We should ensure that climate change is seen as having that same level of truth, and we need to teach it as such. Maybe then our next generations won’t have to learn too late, as so many seem to have in our world.
Why is a bipartisan effort so important and how can these efforts be achieved in our politically polarizing culture?
A bipartisan effort is the only way things are going to be accomplished. Because of their current numbers in both Houses of the Ohio Legislature, Republicans try to pass most bills with a majority of their own Party. Making sure members of the Majority Party are on board is essential. There are a lot of economic benefits to environmental legislation; it is not only doing “good for good’s sake.” A wind farm in Northwest Ohio can rejuvenate a depressed area just as much, if not more, than a fracking well can in Southeast Ohio. Jobs in wind can be permanent because wind is not a finite resource. Ohio used to be a leader in the United States for wind investment, and it still has the potential to be again. As a legislature, we should be focused on how environmental work can be a tool used to meet the goals of legislators for whom the environment itself is not among their priorities.
I was heartened to see we have made some bi-partisan progress to protect Lake Erie from harmful algal blooms. I don’t think we have seen the end of that work, and others agree. We need to be able to identify areas to work together and do it in a forward-looking fashion, but unfortunately our Lake Erie work was done in response to one of the largest cities in the Midwest being without drinking water for three days. We must realize that these are the type of things that are going to continue happening with climate change. No company wants to come to a place with unbreathable air or unsafe drinking water. By looking to the future and taking action now, our environment will be more habitable and attractive to future generations, and we will simultaneously be helping our economy.
Is there anything you’d like to share that is important for Moms Clean Air Force members to know?
Keep it up! The people of Ohio are more and more on our side of this issue. They are becoming more likely to accept anthropogenic climate change as the reality that it is. As the millennial generation comes of voting age and looks at this as an important issue, it will have an impact in deciding elections. We can do better for the future. As I said on the floor of the Ohio House of Representatives when Senate Bill 310 (“freezing” Ohio’s renewable energy and energy efficiency standards) passed last year, we need to become more forward-thinking as a state. We should stop passing decisions along to the next generations. I am in my 30s and I want to still be able to breathe the air 60 years from now. Supporters of climate action are going to win this debate; we have no choice but to win. It is not an option. Keep up the good fight!
Dan Ramos was elected State Representative in 2010, his first public office. A Lorain native of Puerto Rican decent, Ramos is the first Hispanic Representative of either caucus in either the House or Senate to serve in a leadership position, serving as Assistant Minority Whip. Prior to elected office, Ramos served in the Ohio House of Representatives as a Legislative Aide and a Senior Policy and Budget Analyst for the Minority Caucus. In addition to his work in the Ohio House, Ramos has also been a caseworker at the Lorain County Department of Job & Family Services. Ramos continues to be an advocate of protecting our environment and developing a green energy infrastructure. Ramos also serves on the Ohio Commission on Hispanic and Latino Affairs, the Ohio School Facilities Commission, the Ohio Retirement Study Council, and serves as an executive member to the Council of State Government’s Great Lakes Legislative Caucus.