COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A state utility regulator whohelped nix plans for a proposed Ohio solar
farm and has used questionedglobal warming and alternative energy has ties to an influentialconservative
group behind model legislation to repeal states’ renewableenergy requirements.Todd Snitchler, chairman
of the PublicUtilities Commission of Ohio, was a keynote speaker at the AmericanLegislative Exchange
Council’s April 2011 spring task force meeting. Theevent was held the month after he stepped down as a
Republican staterepresentative from Uniontown to accept Gov. John Kasich’s appointmentto the
commission.It is unclear whether Snitchler’s views helpedinfluence the model bill, known as the
Electricity Freedom Act, whichthe council identified as a policy priority in October. Todd Wynn,
wholeads the council’s Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force, saidhe does not know Snitchler
and has not worked with him in his 18 monthsin his post.Jason Gilham, a spokesman for the
utilitiescommission, said Snitchler was a keynote speaker at the April meeting.Holly Karg, the
commission’s public affairs director, added, "He was notbeing lobbied at those events; he was
speaking at them."Snitchler’s2011 financial disclosure form indicates he also attended a summit
ofthe legislative council in Phoenix that December. The commissionreimbursed him for about $175 in meal
expenses for the two 2011meetings. He reported no travel costs.The commission Snitchlerleads is
overseeing implementation of Ohio’s "25-by-25" standard, whichrequires power companies to get
25 percent of their electricity fromalternative and advanced sources by 2025. Such standards are
targetedfor repeal under the legislative council’s model bill.TheAmerican Legislative Exchange Council
"has always been opposed to energymandates, but in 2012 we picked up the debates on renewable
energytargets specifically," Wynn said. He noted that repeal of Ohio’srenewable targets has been
proposed before, and said it wouldn’tsurprise him if it would be proposed again this
session.Snitchlerthis month joined a 3-1 majority of the Public Utilities Commission inrejecting
American Electric Power Co.’s proposal to incorporate powerfrom the Turning Point Solar project into its
renewable energyportfolio. The vote went against the advice of commission staff. Thepower company,
environmental advocates and Statehouse Democrats all saidthe decision was misguided.In its wake,
Snitchler’s steadycriticism of solar, wind and renewable energy on Twitter came to light.His posts broke
with a tradition of public neutrality among utilitycommissioners on issues they regulate.Snitchler also
posted suchitems as an article referring to "the myth of Global Warming" and areference to
"the ‘green’ religion" taking over Christianity."Theguy is a right-wing ideologue and he
doesn’t belong in a regulatorybody that’s supposed to be impartial and protect the consumers, whichhe’s
not doing," said Henry Eckhart, a commissioner in the 1970s who nowrepresents utility consumers.
"This is just one of a few things thathave been objectionable."Ashley Brown, another
formercommissioner who now directs the Harvard Electricity Policy Group, saidthat he hasn’t closely
followed Snitchler but that checking ideology atthe door is one of the first things he teaches at
new-regulatortrainings."You’re never going to remove politics fromelectricity, but the reason we
have regulators is to reduce thepoliticization of the sector," Brown said. "Everyone has a
right toadvocate what they want, but part of a regulator’s mission is to havefilters on what ideologues
say, to make deliberative, thoughtfuldecisions that are fact-based and consistent with the
law."Snitchler’s2011 appearances at legislative council events continued a pattern ofregular
attendance at the group’s meetings. At them, lawmakers may belavishly entertained by corporate sponsors
without publicly reportingmany of the meals, cigars, drinks and other perks they receive.OhioHouse
emails list Snitchler as a council member and an attendee atanother four of its events in 2009 and 2010,
when he was a staterepresentative. The documents were obtained by ProgressOhio, a liberalpolicy group,
through a public records request and provided to TheAssociated Press. A spokeswoman for the legislative
council said theorganization does not confirm name or attendance information of members.Asa lawmaker,
campaign finance reports show, Snitchler accepted more than$25,000 in contributions from corporations,
political action committeesand associations involved in the electricity, natural gas, telephoneand
transportation sectors he now regulates. That included $9,500 fromFirstEnergy Corp. and $1,000 from
AEP.After joining the PublicUtilities Commission, Snitchler was prohibited from taking gifts of anykind
from the utilities he regulates.Karg said Snitchler droppedhis membership in the legislative council
after leaving the House, but aHouse spokesman said Snitchler’s legislative membership for the2011-2012
legislative session was never revoked. It remained in effectthrough December.Karg said Snitchler’s 2012
financial disclosureform, which hasn’t yet come due, will show no further legislativecouncil
meetings.Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.