OH HB271

Establishes a natural gas infrastructure development program administered by the Ohio Public Works Commission director to facilitate investment in planning, developing, constructing, and maintaining natural gas facilities in areas with insufficient supply access.

Authorizes the director to make grants and loans to businesses, nonprofit organizations, and local government units in coordination with the Public Utilities Commission, with all grants and loans fully funded from the natural gas infrastructure development fund.

Requires the director to adopt rules establishing application procedures and prioritization criteria including projected customer access, natural gas demand growth, economic impacts, service reliability effects, and economic development benefits.

Creates the natural gas infrastructure development fund, separate from the state treasury, funded by transfers from oil and gas well fund revenue and general assembly appropriations, with fund interest retained by the fund.

Directs any excess money in the oil and gas well fund at fiscal year-end to be transferred to the natural gas infrastructure development fund instead of remaining in the oil and gas well fund.