Legislation to Partially Repeal House Bill 6 Falls Short by Failing to Restore Clean Energy Programs
April 1, 2021 /3BL Media/ - Gov. Mike DeWine signed legislation today to partially repeal Ohio’s scandal-ridden House Bill 6, but failed to restore the state’s renewable energy and energy efficiency resource standards.
“Today’s decision is a disappointment for clean energy and yet again leaves Ohio behind at a time when the rest of the country—including many investors and companies—is moving forward with investments to capture the benefits of renewable energy and energy waste reduction,” said Alli Gold Roberts, director of state policy at Ceres.
Described by federal prosecutors as “the largest bribery, money laundering scheme ever perpetrated against the people of the state of Ohio,” HB 6 has been the center of a federal corruption investigation since last July. While the legislation (HB 128) that Gov. DeWine signed into law today repeals the nuclear subsidies of HB 6, it missed the opportunity to put the state back on path toward a clean energy future.
Dozens of businesses, investors, trade associations and employers in Ohio have repeatedly voiced their strong support for strong clean energy standards. In August, a group of businesses—including Ameresco, Ball Corp., Burton, Clif Bar, Cree Lighting, Facebook, General Mills, and Nestle, among others—wrote a letter to Gov. DeWine and Ohio lawmakers urging them to immediately repeal HB 6 and restore Ohio’s clean energy programs.
“State policies that ensure access to cost-effective renewable energy and energy efficiency are critical to capturing the rise in corporate clean energy investments,” added Roberts. “Now more than ever, Ohio needs smart policies that will drive economic growth, create new jobs, improve public health and revitalize local communities—and that’s exactly what clean energy standards would do. Ceres and our business partners look forward to working with Gov. DeWine and legislators to restore these critical, cost-effective programs.”
Prior to HB 6 and the repeal of Ohio’s clean energy standards, Ohio utility customers saved more than $7 billion between 2009 and 2019. By reinstating the standards, the state could realize $3.6 billion in economic benefits while also achieving $14.2 billion in public health benefits and saving business and residential consumers $9 billion on their electric bills, according to a recent independent analysis supported by Ceres and other NGOs.
Ceres is a sustainability nonprofit organization working with the most influential investors and companies to build leadership and drive solutions throughout the economy. For more information, visit ceres.org and follow @CeresNews.
