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Medical copays reduce health care access in MS prisons; Israel planted explosives in pagers sold to Hezbollah according to official sources; Serving looks with books: Libraries fight 'fast fashion' by lending clothes; Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries.

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JD Vance calls for toning down political rhetoric, while calls for his resignation grow because of his own comments. The Secret Service again faces intense criticism, and a right to IVF is again voted down in the US Senate.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Bill to Freeze OH Energy-Efficiency Standards Headed for House Vote

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Wednesday, May 28, 2014   

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Energy-efficiency standards and many of the jobs they have created could be brought to a halt depending on the outcome of an Ohio House vote today.

Senate Bill 310 would freeze Ohio's current energy-efficiency and renewable-energy laws for two years.

Opponents of the standards claim they are too high and are increasing costs for businesses and consumers. However, Dave Rinebolt, executive director of Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy, said the standards already have helped create more than 25,000 new jobs and prompted investments of $800 million since 2009.

"Investments in energy-efficiency and renewable energy that customers have made have produced jobs and produced investments," he said. "We just hope the governor won't turn his back on the people who are benefiting from these programs."

Under the standards, Ohio utilities are required to reduce customers' power use by 22 percent and get 25 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2025. The freeze would allow a panel of lawmakers time to study the effects of the standards, but Rinebolt and others said it's simply a way to disrupt the state's emerging clean-energy industry.

Rinebolt predicted a "freeze" would mean no energy-efficiency programs operating next year, resulting in lost jobs and less savings on utility bills.

"For example," he said, "the folks I work with will weatherize about 10,000 fewer households, and we will be laying off about 100 people."

SB 310 quickly made its way through the General Assembly before summer recess and is expected to be sent to Gov. John Kasich's desk after today's vote.

Details of the bill are online at legislature.state.oh.us.


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