OHIO (Indiana's NewsCenter) - As Washington debates the future of energy sources in America, Ohio has passed a law encouraging the growth of wind energy.
On Thursday Ohio Governor Ted Strickland signed into law Ohio Senate Bill 232... and in doing so brought the Buckeye State up to pace with Indiana, Michigan, and other Midwestern states when it comes to taxation for renewable energy development.
Paulding County Commissioner Tony Zartman says, “It’s going to change the horizon of our county for the lifespan of everyone that's in it currently."
Past state energy legislation requires 12.5% of Ohio's electric energy come from renewable energy sources by 2025. But current tax laws meant energy sources like wind farms would pay at least five times more than in neighboring states in tangible personal property taxes.
Ohio First District Sen Stephen Buehrer says, “To meet the energy mandate of 12.5% of Ohio's load, we would have to have 2800 megawatts in Ohio. Right now we only have 7.”
This new law aims to change that.
Buehrer says, “What we created in this bill was a payment in lou of taxes where a developer of a wind farm will know how much they could pay as a maximum per megawatt hour that they are going to produce. That answer within this bill is up to $9,000 per megawatt, which is comparable to Ohio will pay."
Wind energy will create local green collar jobs building, operating, and manufacturing parts for these wind turbines... which could occupy up to an acre per turbine.
"I think people are willing to suspend their disbelief even if they are a little skeptical for a little while if this brings in some jobs to our community, and hopefully some of those will be sustainable jobs," says Buehrer.
While Ohio may benefit as a state, it's on the local level that they'll see real benefits.
"Any of the payments we take in, the local schools will get 60% of those taxes,” says Zartman.
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