Ohio

Ohio House passes bills to ax coal fees, attract new energy to the state

Published

4 weeks ago

March 26, 2025

Ohio House passes bills to ax coal fees, attract new energy to the state

Lawmakers agree: Ohio must create more energy to avoid blackouts and high electric bills while still powering new data centers and technology.

But they have slightly different ideas about how to attract new energy generators to Ohio while cutting the fees that consumers currently pay.

During a Wednesday debate on the House floor, lawmakers focused on fees tacked onto Ohioans’ electric bills for two coal plants, including one in Indiana.

“This is the last pillar of the largest scandal in our state’s history,” said Rep. Josh Williams, R-Sylvania Township, referencing a pay-to-play scheme that sent former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder to prison for 20 years. “An industry is going to understand when you get caught, not making a bad deal but bribing an official, these members in the House are going to work hard to remove any benefit you got.”

But not everyone was convinced. Former Speaker Jason Stephens, a Kitts Hill Republican who represents the area where the Ohio plant is located, said it was “totally unfair” to end the coal plant fees immediately. Rep. Don Jones, R-Freeport, said the coal plant fees should continue − or at least give companies time to adjust.

After that debate, lawmakers in the Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill 15, 90-3, which aims to tackle many of the state’s energy policy problems. The Ohio Senate unanimously passed a different proposal, Senate Bill 2, last week.

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Both proposed laws have faced dozens of revisions and could face several more before any sweeping energy policy is delivered to GOP Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk.

What would House Bill 15 do?

The House’s sweeping energy bill, sponsored by Rep. Roy Klopfenstein, R-Haviland, would:

Eliminate fees on Ohioans’ electric bills for two coal plants, including one in Indiana. Ohioans have already paid more than $670 million for the two Ohio Valley Electric Corporation coal plants, which are owned by several utilities, since 2017, according to an Ohio Manufacturing Association report. Eliminating the fee would save Ohioans $591.4 million through 2030, according to a fiscal analysis. In committee, lawmakers rejected an amendment that would have ended the OVEC fees on Dec. 31, 2026, instead of immediately. Committee chairman Adam Holmes said Ohioans couldn’t afford to extend the deadline. “We have to speak for them.”
End a solar energy generation fee, which has collected more than $60 million from Ohioans. Most of that money hasn’t been spent, according to Cleveland.com. The House plan would give Ohioans refunds for these fees. Both fees were included in a 2019 law, called House Bill 6, which also included a $1 billion bailout for nuclear plants. That law was at the heart of a federal investigation into corruption at the Ohio Statehouse.
Reduce taxes on property owned by new energy generators from 24% to 7%. Existing power plants would be taxed the same, alleviating a concern from local school boards that they would lose money.
Reduce taxes on new transmission and distribution property from 88% to 25%.
Require more scrutiny of fees added to Ohioans’ electric bills by eliminating electric security plans, which tack on charges that receive less review from utility regulators.
Require utilities to refund fees once the Ohio Supreme Court finds them unlawful, imprudent or improper. The refunds would start when the court issues a decision, not when they were first applied.

“Today is a big win for the pocketbooks of Ohio,” said Rep. Sean Patrick Brennan, D-Parma.

How are the House and Senate bills different?

Both bills want to improve access to energy in Ohio and protect ratepayers. But they approach them in slightly different ways. Those changes must be hashed out before DeWine can sign these policies into law.

Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, said those conversations will happen next month, but both chambers agree: “We’re not subsidizing directly utilities anymore.”

Those differences include:

Tax rates. Senate Bill 2 would eliminate the tangible personal property tax, which is assessed on business property, for energy first generated in 2026 or later. The House bill would tax it at 7%.
What happens with solar fees already collected. The House would refund customers. The Senate proposed giving the money to schools to improve their energy efficiency.
New ideas. The House version would create a Community Energy Pilot Program, which would allow customers to opt into smaller, local projects for solar, wind, natural gas generators, biomass, hydroelectric or fuel cells.
Where anaerobic digesters can be placed. The Senate version would allow county commissioners, zoning appeals boards, township trustees and municipal councils to decide where these tanks that break down waste, manure and other organic matter.
Thermostat control. A last-minute Senate change would allow consumers to receive a $40 annual credit from their utility if they give the utility access to their smart thermostat so it can be adjusted from one to three degrees during peak energy hours and do not override it more than 50% of the time.

State government reporter Jessie Balmert can be reached at jbalmert@gannett.com or @jbalmert on X.

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Will reigning champion Ohio State football land five-star lineman Jackson Cantwell?

Published

5 hours ago

April 23, 2025

Press Room

Will reigning champion Ohio State football land five-star lineman Jackson Cantwell?

Days after winning the College Football Playoff National Championship, Ohio State coach Ryan Day sat in the Nixa High School coaching offices alongside five-star prospect Jackson Cantwell. It was his first recruiting stop after lifting the trophy over his head.

Ohio State is one of four teams hoping the No. 1 recruit in the 2026 class will choose them come April 30. The Buckeyes are the only program that can sell Cantwell on being the reigning champion.

“They’re the best team in the country right now,” Cantwell said. “Ohio State’s a really good situation.”

The 6-foot-8, 300-pound Nixa High offensive tackle will select between the Buckeyes, Georgia, Miami (Florida) and Oregon. He’s made two visits to Columbus in the last five months while trying to gather as much information as possible about the turnover at the offensive line coach position.

Day, who is more hands-on with the quarterbacks, had to hire a new offensive line coach this offseason after Justin Frye left the program to take over the same position for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals. Frye had been with OSU since 2022 and helped make offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. the sixth-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Frye’s departure led to three Ohio State hires who will impact Cantwell’s decision.

Tyler Bowen, formerly the offensive coordinator at Virginia Tech, was brought on as the new offensive line coach. Bowen hasn’t served as an offensive line coach since 2017, when he was at Maryland. Marcus Johnson, who was Purdue’s offensive line coach last year before the Boilermakers’ staff was fired, is the team’s assistant offensive line coach. Charlie Dickey will also serve as an offensive line assistant, having held main roles at Oklahoma State and Kansas State in recent years.

“They’ve hired a lot of great offensive line coaches,” Cantwell said. “They’re putting a lot of emphasis on it and are trying to make sure they develop those guys.”

What Jackson Cantwell has said about Ohio State football, Ryan Day

Cantwell in February: “Ohio State’s an interesting one for me. They have Ryan Day, who has done a fantastic job and is probably the most underrated coach in college football. He’s one of the best coaches in college football. I still sometimes don’t even think Ohio State likes him, and I couldn’t tell you why. I think they have a great offense year in and year out.

“Their offensive line did incredible last year, but I think the interesting thing is that they’ll have a different offensive line coach because he left to go to the Cardinals, and now they have a guy who hasn’t coached O-line since 2016. It’ll be interesting to see how that works out.”

When Ohio State football offered Jackson Cantwell

Ohio State offered Cantwell in October 2023. When announcing his offer, he said he received it from Buckeyes general manager Mark Pantoni.

When did Jackson Cantwell visit Ohio State football?

Cantwell has visited Ohio State twice in the last five months.

The first came in mid-December ahead of the Buckeyes’ first-round College Football Playoff win over Tennessee. He returned to Columbus for a two-day visit in March, where he was able to meet with Bowen, the new OSU offensive line coach, for the first time.

Ohio State football offensive linemen NFL Draft picks since 2020

Ohio State will likely have multiple offensive linemen selected in this week’s NFL Draft.

ESPN ranks Josh Simmons as the fourth-best offensive tackle, Donovan Jackson as the fourth-best guard and Seth McLaughlin as the second-best center.

2023 – Paris Johnson Jr. (Sixth overall pick)
2023 – Daward Jones (Fourth round)
2023 – Luke Wypler (Sixth round)
2022 – Nicholas Petit-Frere (Third round)
2022 – Thayer Munford (Seventh round)
2021 – Josh Myers (Second round)
2021 – Wyatt Davis (Third round)
2020 – Jonah Jackson (Third round)

Ohio State football 2025 offensive line roster makeup

Seniors – 3
Juniors – 4
Sophomores – 5
Freshmen – 4

Ohio State football 2025 offensive line recruiting class

Carter Lowe — Four-star offensive tackle ranked as the No. 72 player in the 2025 class.

Jake Cook — Three-star interior offensive lineman.

Jayvon McFadden — Three-star offensive lineman.

Ethan Onianwa — Offensive tackle transfer from Rice.

Phillip Daniels — Offensive tackle transfer from Minnesota.

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Ohio State Buckeyes Star Made Major Impression During NFL Draft Interviews

Published

23 hours ago

April 22, 2025

Press Room

Ohio State Buckeyes Star Made Major Impression During NFL Draft Interviews

Emeka Egbuka spent the last two seasons behind two of the best wide receivers to ever wear the Scarlet and Gray. He emerged during the Ohio State Buckeyes’ playoff run on the national stage and started turning people’s heads.

Now as the NFL Draft is just a few short days away, Egbuka has become one of the most beloved draft prospects on the board.

On Monday, ESPN NFL Analyst Peter Schrager said Egbuka has “won the interview process and is universally beloved” as a person and that just adds to what he can do on the field.

The two guys who have won the interview process and are universally beloved as people, in addition to their playing ability:
1. Jalon Walker EDGE
2. Emeka Egbuka WR
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You will not find a coach or GM who doesn’t just rave about both young men. @ESPNNFL
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) April 21, 2025

Those in Columbus are more than familiar with what Egbuka can do between the white lines. If he were any of the other 133 Division 1 FBS schools, he would be the number one receiver and would lead the team in yards.

Unfortunately for him, he found himself as the second option in Columbus in back to back years. It didn’t stop him from producing at a high level.

In 2024, he compiled 81 catches for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns on the year. He had at least five catches and 51 yards in each of the four playoff games. The lasting Egbuka memory for Ohio State will be the touchdown that he caught in the Rose Bowl against the Oregon Ducks.

Egbuka is a special talent and now the world has discovered his character. He was one of the unquestioned leaders of both the Buckeyes’ offense and the entire team. On countless occasions, superstar Jeremiah Smith referenced the Egbuka as a leader and a teacher helping the young phenom along the way.

When he does hear his name called on Thursday or Friday night, that team he goes to will be getting significantly better. He has the tools to be an elite wide receiver in the NFL and he has the character to be around the league for a very, very long time.

It is no surprise that he has won the pre-draft interview process and is universally beloved by many of the NFL organizations.

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NFL Draft Trivia: Test Your Knowledge On Ohio State's NFL Draft History

Published

2 days ago

April 21, 2025

Press Room

NFL Draft Trivia: Test Your Knowledge On Ohio State's NFL Draft History

Put on your thinking caps and grab your favorite drink, it’s time for a special edition of Ohio State trivia.

With the possibility of 15 Buckeyes getting selected this year, we put together a 15-question quiz based on Ohio State’s history in the NFL draft. As we wait for the draft to begin on Thursday, when Ohio State will hope to have multiple first-round selections on its way to a record-setting draft, it’s time to test your knowledge of your favorite team and the NFL draft.

There are two simple rules: Please use your brain (not a search engine) and only play once.

Note: After you answer all of the questions, you must click on “Finish Quiz” to see your results.

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