HB 79 Passes House Despite Republican Opposition
BY NICK ROGERS
STATEWIDE - Highly-debated House Bill 79 – the newest “energy efficiency” bill –passed the Ohio House of Representatives in a tight 50-45-4 vote. The bill, which ostensibly seeks to address energy efficiency measures slashed by the infamous HB 6, would add a $1.50/month rider to customers’ bills, providing energy companies with the opportunity to offer discounts and rebates on Smart appliances that will supposedly reduce energy use and protect grid reliability. Opponents to the bill label the legislation one more excuse to squeeze the consumer (and one more excuse to roll out the biologically dangerous and privacy-invasive Smart Grid).
Co-sponsor of the bill, Rep. Bill Seitz, R-District 30, addressed concerns of the added monthly fee. Seitz said, “No one will be required to buy a damn thing under this bill.” Customers would receive two notices in the mail alerting them of the change and the choice to opt out. “HB 79 is designed to promote the cheapest form of energy that exists: the energy that isn’t used by reason of conservation and efficiency,” Seitz said.
Those opposing the bill – like Americans for Prosperity Ohio (AFP-Ohio) – feel that the added fee is unjust in the face of numerous riders (including those an ex-PUCO chair knew were illegal) in recent years. “With energy costs already soaring, now is certainly not the time for additional riders on utility bills,” AFP-Ohio told legislators.
Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-District 62, agrees with AFP-Ohio. “This is not the time to charge Ohioans $1.50 extra a month on their electric bill,” she said. “Ohioans are smart enough to know they can reduce their energy cost.”
Lesser-discussed bills HB 349 and HB 308 also passed. The former centers around $20 million dollars in loans for the building of natural gas pipelines throughout Ohio. In the same vein of HB 79’s added fees, opponents to HB 349 – like Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund (OECAF)’s managing director of energy policy Nolan Rutschilling – believe natural gas companies don’t need any help.
“Natural gas companies need to pay their fair share of taxes to Ohio communities, and don’t need more funding for infrastructure that can damage our water and land,” said Rutschilling.
HB 308 may be a bill about semantics, but those semantics may be rather important. The bill officially labels nuclear energy – an industry notorious for disastrous meltdowns – as a “green technology.” The rational is based on the fact that more energy produced by nuclear means less carbon dioxide, supposedly the main greenhouse gas at the core of global warming.
All three bills must still pass the Ohio Senate and be signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine.
