The following statement can be attributed to Rachael Belz, Director, Ohio Consumers Power Alliance.

Starting today, residents in many areas of Ohio will begin hearing radio ads targeted at members of the Ohio House of Representatives ahead of House Bill 6 testimony. The radio ads will run in the following districts:

• Representative Nino Vitale (District 85 – Logan, Champaign, part of Shelby)
• Representative Niraj Antani (District 42—Miamisburg)
• Representative Bill Reineke (District 88—Tiffin)
• Representative Derek Merrin (District 47—Monclova Township)
• Representative Craig Riedel (District 82—Defiance)
• Representative Tom Brinkman (District 27—Mt. Lookout)

The ads are paid for by the Ohio Consumers Power Alliance, a project of the Ohio Citizen Action Education Fund, and will focus on House Bill 6 being a nuclear power plant bailout tax. The legislation is a creative approach used to disguise a consumer-funded bailout of two old, outdated nuclear plants as a comprehensive energy policy to reduce carbon emissions. Every ratepayer in Ohio would be charged a monthly fee to subsidize FirstEnergy’s failing investments.

Calling House Bill 6 a clean air program that will save consumers money is disingenuous and dishonest. This bill is designed for one purpose – to bailout bankrupt FirstEnergy. House Bill 6 will actually cost hardworking Ohio families an additional $6.11 per month since it removes energy efficiency savings.

It is clear that state legislators are misleading Ohio consumers. Energy efficiency saves customers money. For every $1 spent on energy efficiency measures, $2.65 in savings results. In fact, programs under Ohio’s existing energy efficiency standards have already saved Ohioans $5.1 billion. This critical fact has been completely ignored by supporters of the legislation, demonstrating again that elected officials are not telling consumers the whole story.  The real cost of House Bill 6 is $312 million annually, and families will see $6.11 MORE in charges on their monthly utility bills.

House Bill 6 remains a contested bill and hearings will continue in the Ohio House on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Consumers deserve to know what is at stake for their families. Legislators need to look at the numbers and tell the entire story. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Tracy Sabetta | 614-581-2907 | [email protected]