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GOP leaders, environmental groups square off over U.S. energy policies

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By Steve Bennish, Staff Writer 10:38 PM Tuesday, June 30, 2009

The heated battle over the nation’s energy policies climbed upward a few degrees Tuesday, June 30, as environmental groups squared off with Republican leaders.

A state environmental group released a new study that said Ohioans will save money by moving to alternative energy to blunt the escalating costs of fossil fuels.

The report from Environment Ohio, “The High Cost of Fossil Fuels: Why America Can’t Afford to Depend on Dirty Energy,” predicts that dependence on fossil fuels could cost Ohio $993.6 billion by 2030.

Environment Ohio said the report uses government data to quantify current and projected spending on fossil fuels nationally and by state.

It shows that in 2006, Ohioans spent $2,898 per capita on fossil fuels. In 2030, that figure is expected to rise to between $3,522 and $4,576 per person, which is as much as $1,678 — a 58 percent increase — per person every year on fossil fuels.

In contrast, moving to wind turbines, solar panels, and energy-efficient homes and buildings would save money, even excluding environmental benefits.

The group cited a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists that found that moving to alternative energy would cut costs by $810 per household annually and save consumers and business $33 billion annually in 2030. Congress and the Ohio legislature are moving forward with new alternative energy policies.

Not everyone is on board with pending federal legislation now headed to the Senate. U.S. House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner, R- West Chester, sent a missive to supporters asking for funds to fight new energy policies like those passed by the House on Friday, June 26.

“Democrats tried to shut me down as I read parts of Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi’s national energy tax (also known as “cap and trade”) out loud on the House floor,” Boehner wrote. “For more than an hour I cited provisions that will destroy American jobs, raise prices for gasoline and electricity, and devastate middle-class families and small businesses.

Then they voted for it anyway. Now I need your help to hold them accountable.”

Boehner cited analysis by the Heritage Foundation that estimates that the legislation will cost the average family nearly $3,000 per household per year.

A Republican plan, he said, “will boost drilling, build 100 new nuclear power plants, and invest in new fuels to power America in the 21st century. It will create new jobs and lead America to energy independence.”

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