Youngstown Mayor Jamael "Tito" Brown was recognized for his efforts to fight a pyrolysis plant in the city.

According to a press release, Mayor Brown received the "Energy Justice Champion" award at the annual Ohio Mayors Alliance (OHMA) meeting December 12.

Brown was recognized for his efforts to fight SOBE Thermal Energy's efforts to move a waste-to-energy plant into downtown Youngstown.

Brown is quoted in the release stating receiving this award is a testament to the power of listening to the concerns of your residents and prioritizing their health and well-being.

"In Youngstown, we believe that every energy decision we make should serve our residents equitably and be made in the best interest of the next generation," Brown said.

Efforts from city officials to fight this development include a moratorium that was enacted in December of 2023 stating that even if the EPA was to ok the plant being moved downtown, the project would not be able to move forward until the moratorium is lifted.

This moratorium is still in effect as of this writing with Youngstown Council recently voting to extend it in November.

You can find out much more about SOBE and residents' concerns with the project in our related coverage below.

RELATED COVERAGE: