A Big Solution to Address Big Problems

The Energy Jobs and Justice Act had its first hearing

Representative Casey Weinstein and Representative Juanita Brent delivered testimony Tuesday supporting HB429, the Energy Jobs And Justice Act.  This legislation launches Ohio’s largest economic development initiative in recent history, prioritizing investments in clean energy jobs and environmental justice programs across the state.

Ohio needs exactly this kind of clean energy policy, one rooted in equity, economic development, and accountability, to recover from House Bill 6.

Big problems require big solutions

Thanks to all who tuned in! If you missed the testimony on HB429, watch it here.

Many others share our enthusiastic support of the bill - read more in the press release.

Crime with DeWine campaign picks up momentum

Please take a minute to watch our latest Crime with DeWine campaign video where Cincinnati residents speak out for a better future. Hundreds of people have already joined the campaign to press our governor for transparency, accountability and real reform at the Public Utilities Commission.

Catch up on all the videos on our YouTube channel and subscribe, so you stay up to date.

Letters from the field

Our door to door field canvass is thriving and organizing communities around local solutions to climate change. We are working with Power A Clean Future Ohio, elected leaders and community members to implement proven actions that protect our climate. People like Robert from University Hts are making their voices heard:

From Our Mailbag

Watch our latest video that features excerpts from letters from Ohioans who are speaking out about the missed opportunities and lack of leadership shown by Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted since the House Bill 6 scandal broke.

We are so grateful and inspired by the hundreds of letters - 845 so far - written to Governor Mike DeWine over our Crime with DeWine website. This entire campaign is a demonstration of how powerful our voices can be when we all speak together. 

FirstEnergy might have bought its way out of a criminal conviction, but upcoming depositions in a shareholder lawsuit could reveal more in the House Bill 6 bribery scheme:

Lawyers of FirstEnergy’s former lobbyist Mike Dowling are set to depose a current representative from FirstEnergy on May 19 and 20. Dowling named individuals in the DeWine administration in related civil lawsuits - specifically Lt. Governor Jon Husted.

The Ohio Consumers’ Counsel is arguing that FirstEnergy should pay nearly $1.5 billion for mis-using a 'grid-modernization' fee the utility collected from ratepayers.

A recent PUCO-commissioned audit found no evidence that FirstEnergy used $456 million collected from Ohioans between 2017 and 2019 directly or indirectly in support of modernizing the electric grid as promised.

The audit noted that FirstEnergy staff, when interviewed, had a “general lack of knowledge on the specifics” of the fee, and neither the PUCO nor FirstEnergy even had a clear definition of what “grid modernization” meant.

Public scrutiny is the only solution to clean up corruption and increase  transparency and accountability.

Kitchen Table Talk

We recently released a new video that features our own Development Officer Melissa English and Cincinnati resident Alison Kromer discussing the House Bill 6 scandal, Governor DeWine's lack of leadership in response, and what needs to be done to clean up corruption at the PUCO.

Two months ago we launched Crime with DeWine to call on Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted to reject regulated electric utility campaign contributions and spearhead reforms at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). 

It's been three years since Ohio lawmakers first introduced HB 6

Much of House Bill 6, the power plant bailout legislation now at the heart of the largest corruption case in Ohio's history, remains on the books.

Kathianne Kowalski from the Energy News Network reports how the HB 6 corruption crisis was both enabled and perpetuated by factors that erode democracy:

Dark money helped Ohio utilities subsidize coal plants, delaying action on climate change at ratepayers’ expense

It's time for Governor Mike DeWine to lead

Thanks to HB6, Ohioans will pay more on our electric bills every single month through 2030 to bail out OVEC coal plants. Customers get nothing in return.

"The most important and direct thing that Ohio can do to fight climate change and air pollution is to end the ridiculous subsidies which Ohioans are paying to keep two coal-burning power plants in operation."

- Mark Wallach, Shaker Heights, letter to the editor, cleveland.com. 

Why has the DeWine administration failed to support more wind, solar, and other forms of clean, renewable energy? Why do we continue to pay with our wallets and our health for two failing coal plants?