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Opponents of Ohio Energy Standards Freeze Make TV Push

A still image from Advanced Energy Economy Ohio's TV ad.
A still image from Advanced Energy Economy Ohio's TV ad.

Opponents of a bill to freeze Ohio’s energy efficiency and renewable standards are making a major push this week with a TV ad paid for by Advanced Energy Economy Ohio.

“Just as our comeback is gaining steam, our state is trying to pass a law that will shut down new energy job growth and send us back to the Rust Belt," the narrator in the ad says.

Along with that commercial, Democratic nominee for governor Ed FitzGerald held a teleconference to discuss his opposition to the bill. FitzGerald said a freeze to the standards would hurt job growth and send a negative message to the rest of the country.

“This is going to be seen as a turning point in whether or not this whole country is going to get its act together when it comes to energy policy," FitzGerald said. "A lot of these energy policies were with the most progressive things happening at the state level, and we were a great example of that.”

The bill, which already passed the Senate, was scheduled for a House committee vote on Wednesday. That vote was delayed, the Columbus Dispatch reports.

Nick Castele was a senior reporter covering politics and government for Ideastream Public Media. He worked as a reporter for Ideastream from 2012-2022.