Jan/Feb 2015 Newsletter:

FirstEnergy Bailout Public Hearings and Educational Meeting

FirstEnergy, the electric utility that pushed the hardest for and financed the gutting of Ohio’s clean energy and efficiency standards, is now looking to prop up coal and suppress clean energy in Ohio.

FirstEnergy, along with Ohio’s other electric utilities, have filed at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and are trying right now behind the scenes to bailout a number of Ohio’s oldest, dirtiest, and least economic coal plants. What’s worse, they want you and I to pay for it.

It’s not right. It’s not fair. And even if you’re not buying your power from FirstEnergy, you’re still going to be stuck paying for their dirty coal bailout.

It’s time for us to stand up and stop them.

In the next few weeks, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio will hold a series of public hearings that will help determine whether or not Duke gets its way. If we’re going to stop FirstEnergy’s bailout scheme, it’s critical we pack the house for each of these hearings and show this PUBLIC Commission the PUBLIC refuses to finance these bailouts.

We need to fill each of these hearings to the brim. Will you attend at least one? Will you go above and beyond and attend at least two?

  1. Akron: Monday, January 12, 2015, at 6:00 p.m.
    Oliver R. Ocasek Government Center, 161 South
    High Street, Akron, Ohio 44308
  2. Toledo: Thursday, January 15, 2015, at 6:00 p.m.
    Michael V. Disalle Government Center, County
    Commissioners Hearing Room, 1st Floor,
    640 Jackson Street, Toledo, Ohio 43624
  3. Cleveland: Tuesday, January 20, 2015, at 6:00 p.m.
    Cleveland City Hall, Council Chambers, 2nd Floor,
    Room 216, 601 Lakeside Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Sierra Club members and supporters know how to fill a room and be the force for change we need to stop FirstEnergy’s bailout scheme. Can we count on you to be there and raise your voice?

For more information or to RSVP, contact Neil at Neil.Waggoner@SierraClub.org or on the phone at 614-484-7033.

To send comments to PUCO regarding this issue, you can fill out a comment form here, just make sure to note first in the comment box: “Please file opposition comment under Case No: 14-1297-EL-SSO.” You can also email the Commission directly at docketing@puc.state.oh.us. It’s taken some time but we’re really starting to dominate the public comments in the docket.

All these links are fine and good, but what we need are people to pack the hearings. Cleveland Environmental Action Network (CLEAN) will be sponsoring an educational meeting in preparation for the hearings on the morning of Saturday, January 10th from 10 AM to noon at Paul Sherlock’s house, 3406 Clinton Ave, Cleveland OH 44113. Phone: 216-316-3695. We will have available assorted Wise Ones to answer your questions on the FirstEnergy proposal and how to best respond to it. For more information on this meeting, contact Randy Cunningham at randino49@gmail.com or by phone at 216-245-1073.

Donate