Ohio Passes Renewable Electricity Standard
UCS has been collaborating with our allies in Ohio in efforts to renew their economy, create jobs, and clean up their energy supply by adopting a renewable electricity standard. Thanks to effective collaboration and tireless campaigns, Ohio just became the twenty-sixth state to require their utilities to provide an increasing proportion of their energy from the sun, wind, energy crops, and other clean, renewable sources.
UCS analyst Jeff Deyette has been providing expert review of the draft renewable electricity standard bill. He testified before the Public Utilities Committee in late February. On March 3, UCS activists in Ohio House Speaker Jon Husted's district emailed him to thank him for introducing a bill that requires 12.5 percent of Ohio's energy to come from renewable sources by 2025 and a 22 percent reduction in the state's energy use by 2025. The activists also urged him to get the bill passed through the state senate. On April 15, Deyette participated in a press briefing on the standard. Thanks to these efforts and a strong coalition of supporters in Ohio, on May 1, Governor Ted Strickland signed an energy package containing the energy standards introduced by Speaker Husted.
