COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Republican Gov. John Kasich on Friday
signed into law a bill delaying the phase-in of the state’s
renewable-energy and efficiency targets and repealing advanced-energy
mandates put in place in 2008.
The law puts a two-year hold on
renewables targets in a compromise Kasich backed to avoid a full repeal
being pushed in the state Senate. The thresholds, to be maintained at
current levels next year and in 2016, resume in 2017 if the state
Legislature fails to act.
The law also creates a study panel of
lawmakers to review the impacts of Ohio’s clean-energy standard and sets
out that the Legislature’s aim is a permanent repeal.
The
governor signed the bill over the objections of advanced-energy
businesses, environmentalists, civil-rights advocates and faith leaders.
Renewable-energy sources include wind, solar and tidal power. Advanced-energy sources include nuclear
power and clean coal.
The
2008 law, passed under Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland, required energy
companies to sell a combined 25 percent of their electricity produced
from renewable and advanced sources by 2025. Strickland, from Ohio’s
coal-rich Appalachian region, included clean coal among acceptable
advanced sources, along with co-generation and advanced nuclear power.
Before
Friday’s signing, 29 states and the District of Columbia had adopted
renewable portfolio standards, according to the bipartisan National
Conference of State Legislatures.
The push to revisit the
standards was led by the American Legislative Exchange Council, a policy
advisory group dominated by Republicans and funded by corporations.
Ohio is among states to which the council provided model legislation,
dubbed the Electricity Freedom Act, that eliminated renewable targets.
Last
year, lawmakers in 17 states considered 30 bills to repeal the
standards, though none passed, according to data compiled by the NCSL.