Touting new energy proposal

YOUNGSTOWN — Mark Shanahan, Gov. Ted Strickland’s energy adviser, was to discuss the governor’s proposed energy policy at the Youngstown Club today.

Shanahan has traveled throughout the state in recent weeks touting the plan. He was in Cleveland on Thursday and was to speak in Akron today before coming to Youngstown at 1:30 p.m.

Strickland wants a return to Ohio’s regulating electricity rates and a long-range goal of having at least 25 percent of the state’s electricity by the year 2025 generated from renewable and advanced energy technology. That technology includes clean coal, nuclear, solar, wind and water power.

About 20,000 new manufacturing jobs could be created to build the products necessary to harvest the energy of renewable sources, Strickland said during an Aug. 30 speech in Boardman.

Strickland named Shanahan his energy adviser in January. Shanahan was the executive director of the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority, a state agency that helps businesses meet environmental air regulations.