Clean energy ballot issue being proposed again

Mar 4 - McClatchy-Tribune Content Agency, LLC - Alan Johnson The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio

A proposed constitutional amendment to spend $13 billion in taxpayer money on clean energy projects is coming back to Ohio officials for a fifth time.

While some details have changed, the Ohio Clean Energy Initiative remains essentially the same. It calls for the state to issue $13 billion in bonds over 10 years to invest in wind, solar, geothermal and other energy projects. The program would be controlled by an appointed commission, based in Ohio, but incorporated in the state of Delaware.

Supporters got approval from the Ballot Board last November to begin collecting the 305,591 signatures of registered voters needed to put the issue on the ballot. But the board split the proposal in two parts, meaning supporters would face the daunting task of gathering signatures for two issues at the same time for the same election.

John Clarke, statewide project director for the Ohio Clean Energy Initiative, said revised ballot language will be submitted to Attorney General Mike DeWine within the next week.

"We are moving ahead," Clarke said. "We're ready to rock and roll."

"In the last cycle, we had been dealt a slight setback with the ballot board deciding to split the issue. We decided to expand the scope to include issues dealing with climate change and to make it clear it's not related to fracking."

Clarke described supporters of the amendment only as grassroots activists. He declined to provide specifics.

Clarke said "the money is there" to get the issue on the ballot and engineer a campaign for the fall election.

The lack of transparency in issue is a concern for the Ohio Environmental Council, explained Trish Demeter, director of energy and clean air programs.

"It certainly raises a lot of questions for us. We're not entirely clear who's backing this initiative."

"Having more renewable energy is something we strongly support," Demeter said. "We also want to make sure it's a good deal for Ohioans."

Demeter said she knows of no major renewable energy firms that are supporting the ballot issue.

ajohnson@dispatch.com

@ohioaj