It’s not every day that the word “historic” can be accurately applied to describe actions taken by our government. But when President Obama stood in front of our nation last Monday to announce his plan to reduce carbon pollution from power plants, he was indeed taking the first step in our nation’s history to address one of the most serious challenges facing our generation: climate change.
Carbon pollution is the single largest driver of climate change, which fuels extreme weather conditions that threaten the health and livelihood of Ohio communities, especially low-income communities and people of color. These at-risk communities have a harder time escaping, surviving, and recovering from such extreme weather - like the derecho that devastated Southwest Ohio in 2012.
What the president’s Clean Power Plan does to combat climate change is simple and effective: It sets a goal to help the country cut overall carbon pollution from power plants by 32 percent from 2005 levels by the year 2030. Ohio has several options for how it will meet that target, including an achievable, cost-effective path that relies on increased investments in clean energy and incentive programs to help reduce the amount of energy that we currently waste in our homes and businesses.
Residents in Greater Cincinnati are familiar with the harmful effects of air pollution. The American Lung Association has rated Hamilton County’s air quality as among the worst in the nation, receiving the lowest ranking possible in 2015. More than three-in-four Ohio electricity customers (78 percent) said in a recent poll that they are concerned about air pollution in the state, with 39 percent saying they are "very concerned.” It is time to address this problem, and the Clean Power Plan is a major step forward.
In Ohio, the owners of these polluting coal-burning plants and their supporters have been committed to preventing Ohio from lowering electricity bills, creating jobs, and protecting the health of our communities through clean energy investments. Earlier this year, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio rightfully denied Duke Energy’s request to force Ohio’s businesses and homeowners to bailout a number of old and dirty coal-burning power plants. These facilities are struggling to remain profitable as newer, cleaner sources of energy come online. Ohio’s other electric utilities, like AEP and FirstEnergy, are still waiting on a decision, with FirstEnergy’s coal and nuclear plant bailout proposal estimated to cost customers over $3 billion.
Our state leaders have every reason to support this historic Clean Power Plan. Curbing carbon pollution from power plants will not only save billions of dollars from weather-related disasters and health costs, it will also reduce our electric bills, strengthen the reliability of our electric grid, and grow our economy, adding new opportunities for employment. Ohio is already first in the nation for wind-related manufacturing facilities, and there’s still so much room to grow.
Ohio is ready for the Clean Power Plan. We have already made progress toward meeting the goals, having reduced the carbon pollution in our power sector by 21 percent since 2008. Additionally, 32 mayors from across Ohio have joined the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, committing to engage in action towards curbing our greenhouse gas emissions. The Hamilton County Multi Hazard Mitigation Plan and the Green Cincinnati Plan are just two initiatives that have positioned this region as a leader in addressing climate change.
But to cross the finish line and enjoy the economic and health benefits of the Clean Power Plan, Ohio’s leaders need to develop a strong implementation plan. That begins with fully recognizing our potential for clean energy and energy efficiency while continuing to reject requests to bailout the state’s outdated coal facilities. Ohio can do this, and we'll all be better off as a result.