Ohio Becomes Most Regressive Energy State in the Midwest

Columbus, OH -- Today, the Ohio Senate and House concurred on HB 6 in a 51 - 38 vote; a new energy tax on Ohio electric customers and a complete catastrophe for a balanced informed energy policy and good governance. HB 6 increases customer bills to bail out two uneconomic, 1950s era coal plants -- one of which isn’t even in Ohio -- while also bailing out FirstEnergy’s uncompetitive nuclear plants. HB 6 also guts Ohio’s clean energy and energy efficiency laws. 

At a time when Ohio and the world are grappling with the catastrophic reality of the climate crisis, HB 6 demonstrates the clear focus of Ohio legislators to the here and now of campaign dollars versus the long-term safety and security of their constituents.

In Response, Neil Waggoner, Campaign Representative for Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign in Ohio, released the following statement:

“HB6 is bad government and politics in its most pure form. When the process starts with legislators demeaning low-income Ohioans and apologizing to utility lobbyists it’s no surprise the final legislative product increases customer bills every month for years to come.

“With HB 6, Ohioans get dirtier air, higher electric bills, and the understanding that the majority of their elected officials at the Statehouse are more concerned with making a bankrupt company happy, and helping out other utility companies for their foolish investments in failing coal plants, than taking care of their own constituents. 

“FirstEnergy and Ohio’s other electric utilities must be very satisfied with the legislators they financed today. Can those legislators’ constituents say the same?”