Legislators OK freeze on energy mandates that sparks outcry

May 29, 2014 at 12:00a.m.

COLUMBUS

The Ohio Legislature approved much-debated legislation Wednesday freezing renewable energy and efficiency mandates for two years, over continued objections from Democratic members, environmental groups and others.

Senate Bill 310 also creates a new study committee to develop recommendations for future standards, among numerous other changes to energy laws.

The legislation passed the House on a vote of 53-38, with several Republican members joining Democrats in dissent. The Senate later followed suit, and Gov. John Kasich soon is expected to sign the bill.

Backers say the existing mandates on the books are unrealistic and will lead to big jumps in consumers’ energy bills.

“These levels and additional amounts are simply not achievable or sustainable,” said Rep. Peter Stautberg, R-Cincinnati, chairman of the committee that considered the legislation.

Opponents countered that the bill will stifle green energy industries and hurt the environment. Rep. Mike Foley, D-Cleveland, called SB 310 the “worst and most self-destructive bill that I’ve voted on in my eight years in the general assembly. ... What good reason does this general assembly have for passing a bill that costs jobs and makes utilities more expensive for families and small businesses?”

Rep. Bob Hagan, D-Youngstown, said the bill is a “political favor that benefits a few wealthy, well-connected political supporters at a substantial cost for the rest of us.”

SB 310 traces its roots to legislation passed by lawmakers and signed by Gov. Ted Strickland about six years ago that required power companies to generate a certain percentage of their energy from renewable sources and to institute efficiency initiatives. Utilities are allowed to pass the costs of meeting the mandates onto their customers.

The legislation was moved at time when other states were seeing big increases in electric bills, and lawmakers moved to re-regulate an industry that they had deregulated in the late 1990s.

At issue now is whether those mandates are driving up costs for businesses and consumers or having the intended effect of lowering energy use and prompting growth and innovation in related industries.

Among other provisions, SB 310 would freeze renewable energy and efficiency benchmarks for the next two years.