COLUMBUS, OH — Ohio House Bill 6 received yet another hearing after millions of dollars have been spent to influence lawmakers to bailout the bad business decisions of FirstEnergy. The new substitute version of the legislation still contains $150 million in new charges on Ohio consumers to bail out two aging nuclear plants, reinserts a mandatory extension of coal subsidies, and effectively repeals Ohio’s efficiency and renewable energy standards.
The following statement can be attributed to Miranda Leppla, energy advocate for the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund:
“There is nothing to praise in the latest version of House Bill 6 released today; in fact, this bill has gone from bad to worse. The bill will have lasting negative impacts on Ohioans’ health and wallets for years to come, and yet it may be passed Wednesday without any additional opportunity for public comment.
“Coal bailouts are back in, cost-saving energy efficiency programs are completely zeroed out, and Ohio’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS) will fade out completely in the next couple of years. The bill will benefit corporate utilities and Wall Street investors, while Ohio families will be stuck with a huge price tag to keep Ohio entrenched in energy systems of the past.”