Clean Energy in Ohio Loses Out Again

Again today, Ohio lawmakers had the opportunity to step out of the shadows of corruption and develop a real energy policy for our state. Instead, they have chosen to support policies like Senate Bill 52, legislation designed to erode property owner rights, abandon an all-of-the-above energy strategy, and pit neighbor against neighbor. All this to ensure that fossil fuel interests continue to reign in Ohio.

It is important to remember that while Ohio legislators just passed a bill granting local and county officials the authority to interfere with wind and solar generation, over and above the thorough review of the existing Ohio Power Siting Board, those same legislators recently passed another bill prohibiting local officials from interfering with fossil fuel generation. Add these most recent roadblocks to the anti-clean energy provisions of House Bill 6, and you have three strikes that could count Ohio out of the clean energy market for the foreseeable future.

Senate Bill 52 looms much larger than just one damaging piece of state legislation. Its passage demonstrates that our state leaders are taking Ohio’s energy economy in the wrong direction in total disregard of what consumers in this state want from their energy policy. Ohioans are ready for a diversified approach that ensures reliability, keeps costs reasonable, creates new jobs, and reduces pollution in our air and water. Senate Bill 52 is more than just a bad bill, it’s a missed opportunity.

-- Rachael Belz, Executive Director, Ohio Citizen Action