Bonds proposed for clean energyFeb 14 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Alan Johnson The Columbus Dispatch, OhioOhio--The state would pump $1.3 billion a year into renewable energy, such as solar, wind and geothermal, under a proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution. A group called Yes for Ohio's Energy Future submitted a petition with the signatures of 3,330 voters to Attorney General Mike DeWine on Friday. A minimum of 1,000 valid signatures is required for approval of ballot language. The proposal was filed by Columbus attorney Donald J. McTigue on behalf of a group of four central Ohio residents. It asks Ohioans to approve issuing $1.3 billion in bonds beginning next year and running through 2023 for the purpose of funding infrastructure, research and development of "clean-energy initiatives." Those could include solar, wind, biomass, battery technology and geothermal facilities, according to the proposal submitted to DeWine's office. It would earmark $65 million for the Ohio Energy Initiative Commission. Evonne Richardson of Galloway, one of the four petitioners who submitted the amendment, said it is aimed at helping to create a manufacturing, research and development base for the renewable-energy industry. The campaign is being funded by alternative-energy groups and individual donations. Richardson said it is estimated that renewable energy could create up to 400,000 jobs nationally. "We'd like to see Ohioans have some of those jobs." Richardson's group has hired a company to circulate petition forms rather than rely on volunteers. It hopes to gather 741,000 names to submit to the state so the issue can appear on the ballot this fall or next year. John Clark of Columbus, another amendment supporter, said it isn't meant to counter the current fracking frenzy over developing oil and natural-gas reserves. "This is the petroleum age," he said. "You've got to get those hydrocarbons. It's totally unrealistic that we're going to get rid of them." Some Republicans in the General Assembly have mounted an effort to roll back green-energy requirements enacted while Democrat Ted Strickland was governor. The state must generate 12.5 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2025, with another 12.5 percent coming from sources such as nuclear power and clean coal. DeWine will review the language of the proposed amendment to see if it meets legal requirements. If he approves, the next step is the Ohio Ballot Board, which would decide whether the proposal should be a single ballot issue or divided into more than one. Supporters then could start trying to gather the 385,253 valid signatures of registered Ohio voters they need to place the issue on the November general-election ballot.
|