Senate gives green light energy bill
On Wednesday Ohio Senate members passed Senate Bill 52, regulating wind and solar energy. The bill was passed shortly after an amendment added two ad hoc seats to the Ohio Power Siting Board: one seat to be filled by a county commissioner and the other by a township trustee.the bill includes language that would give county commissioners approval authority for wind and solar projects.
“Unfortunately, there have been energy projects across the state that have faced unanimous opposition in their area of operation, yet were still allowed to proceed,"
Ohio Senator Rob Mccolley (Rnapoleon) said. "This bill will allow for developers and local elected officials to cooperate and find amicable solutions to these projects."
Under this bill, the project developer must notify the county commissioners and township trustees of the project no later than 90 days before being filed with the Ohio Power Siting Board. Commissioners would then be able to either allow the project to proceed, deny the project, or limit the geographic area of the project.
The bill would also allow a board of county commissioners to proactively ban or limit the area of wind or solar projects within their county.
"As our state's economy grows and evolves, the desire for renewable energy will not go away," Sen. Bill Reineke (R-tiffin) said. "This bill does not prevent these protects from taking place, it simply allows local communities to decide if they want these projects in there area."
IBEW Local 32 Business Manager Mike Ruppert said he was disappointed in the Senate’s vote on SB 52.
“We feel that their action could put a chilling effect on solar development in Ohio and put the potential 54,000 solar construction jobs coming to this state in jeopardy,” Ruppert said.
He hoped that Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp would side with stakeholders opposed to the legislation.
Wildermuth also hoped by working with Speaker Cupp the legislation would not come to fruition.
Birch Solar opposition organizer Jim Thompson found the passage agreeable, but still has concerns.
“I think our group would support the latest substitute senate bill and think its an agreeable compromise. We believe that the power should remain at the township level and not the county commissioners,” he said, adding he believes the power to create an energy development district and a PILOT created a severe conflict of interest. Thompson stressed he has strong confidence in both Allen and Auglaize commissioners. He said they would continue negotiate a better bill but recognizes they will not get everything they want.