Emily Bacha, Vice President of Public Affairs, January 22, 2020
Columbus, OH — The Ohioans Against Corporate Bailouts (OACB) campaign committee has withdrawn its appeal of the Federal Court’s decision on the House Bill 6 Referendum. This withdrawal amounts to an effective end to the legal challenge that sought more time to collect signatures in order for the referendum to qualify for the November 2020 ballot.
The following statement can be attributed in full or in part to Heather Taylor-Miesle, Executive Director of the Ohio Environmental Council:
“For years, anti-renewable energy legislators tried to repeal Ohio’s clean energy and energy efficiency standards. And for years, we have fought back to protect them. But last year, all of the efforts of our opponents aligned for a perfect storm, and they dismantled those standards this year by tucking them into House Bill 6 (HB6), a “clean air” bill that bailed out two nuclear and two coal plants.
“The longer the House Bill 6 (HB 6) process was drawn out, the clearer it became that the process used to muscle it through is broken. From the outset, special interests influenced lawmakers, ensuring that corporate investors benefited while sticking Ohioans with dirtier air and higher utility bills. When Ohioans spoke out against the bad bill and worked to place it on the ballot for referendum, we experienced outrageous and unprecedented attacks.
“We know that Ohioans overwhelmingly believe that our state’s elected leaders should act on climate, more significantly invest in renewable energy, and ensure that the air we breathe is not polluted. While House Bill 6 is a setback to Ohio’s fight against climate change, we will continue to organize, hold lawmakers accountable, and work to pass solutions at the local, state, and national levels.”
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