OHIO FREEZES NEW ENERGY THRU 2017

Ohio renewable energy and efficiency rules frozen for two years as Gov. John Kasich signs legislation

John Funk, June 13, 2014 (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

Ohio Gov. John Kasich on Friday signed Senate Bill 310, a Republican-sponsored and utility backed measure freezing the state’s mandates for renewables and efficiency until 2017. The bill was opposed by consumer, business, and environmental coalitions, as well as Honda and Whirlpool, on the grounds that the efficiency saves more than it costs and the renewables mandate produced over $1 billion in investments. Industrial power users like Timken and Alcoa sided with utilities in support of the legislation on the grounds that utility programs to push electricity usage cuts are redundant to free market drivers and too expensive. The bill also creates a legislative study committee that could recommend the legislature permanently amend or freeze the rules. The American Lung Association, the National Wildlife Federation, the Moms Clean Air Force in Ohio, and the Natural Resources Defense Council stridently objected to the bill. click here for more

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