After bilking state residents for over half a billion dollars since 2019, two 1950s-era Ohio coal plants are finally getting the boot, according to Canary Media.
Going into effect on August 14, a new law finally eliminates the controversial coal subsidies created by House Bill 6, a 2019 nuclear and coal bailout law that has headlined Ohio's long-gestating utility corruption scandal.
For legislators and local advocates worried about the impacts of coal, this repeal couldn't come quickly enough. Per the Ohio Consumers' Counsel estimates, the coal plants in question have released more than 63 million tons of carbon dioxide, and if the subsidies remained untouched through the rest of the decade, Ohio utility customers could have been paying over $413 million more through 2030.
"That is a lot of dirty air," said Maureen Willis, who serves as Ohio Consumers' Counsel. "Consumers got the bill, while the environment and public health paid the price."
As the above statistics suggest, shutting down decades-old coal plants is only going to be a boon for the local Ohio environment. Not only are alternatives like solar and wind power inherently more energy-efficient than dirty fuels — and also have potential to create jobs and boost local economies — they're also getting cheaper as time goes by.
This is also far from the first American coal plant closure to make waves, and the effects in those previous cases were undeniable.
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For instance, in the three years after a Pittsburgh-area plant was shuttered in 2016, not only was a significant drop in air pollution reported, but the number of emergency medical visits for heart-related illnesses was nearly cut in half. That is real, tangible change that would likely be replicated in any town or city still relying on coal power.
The bill repeal is great for Ohioans because they'll be able to save more money and breathe cleaner air.
"Instead of propping up shareholders, this money should have gone to help Ohio's families pay for needed items like groceries, health care, and other essentials," Willis said.
"Ending the coal plant subsidies is long overdue."
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