Diocesan Social Action

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland

Legislative Hotline

May 16, 2014

Sponsored by the 5 Catholic Commissions and the Campaign for Human Development

In This Issue

Ways You Can Advocate

US Government

Ohio Government

Advocate for Ohio's Environment

Ways You Can Advocate for Issues

1. Call the district office with a supporting message.

2. Arrange a district office visit when Congress is in recess. Use links for the Hill Visits.

3. Use email contact forms to send the messages. Contact information for senators is below as well as website link to find your representative.

4. Put information in your parish bulletins encouraging others to support our message. You can use the background and message links that have been prepared. The message sheets can be left with the local offices if you do office visits.

5. Go to the Diocesan Social Action website page for more tips on Advocacy.

US Congress Contacts
Senator Brown: Washington, DC: (202) 224-2315 Ohio: Toll Free: 1-888-896-OHIO (6446) or Cleveland: (216) 522-7272 Lorain: (440) 242-4100 Email Sen. Brown Senator Portman: Washington, DC : 202-224-3353 Ohio: Toll-Free: 1-800-205-6446 (OHIO) Cleveland: 216-522-7095 *Email Sen. Portman* Find your US Representative

Ohio General Assembly Contacts
Governor John Kasich Riffe Center, 30th Floor 77 S. High Street Columbus, OH 43215-6117 (614)466-3555 Email Gov. Kasich Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor Riffe Center, 30th Floor 77 S. High Street Columbus, OH 43215-6117 Ohio House of Representatives *Ohio State Senate*

Dear Friends,

There is bill in the Ohio General Assembly that will put a freeze on energy standards for Ohio. "SB 310 proposes that the state freeze these benchmarks at the current 2014 levels, and establish a study committee to review the appropriateness of such mandates." (Ohio Bishops)

Excerpt from the Bishop's Letter

Support for Alternative Energy & Efficiency Incentives

The Catholic Conference of Ohio supports alternative energy and conservation incentives and resources. Alternative energy sources -- such as wind and solar -- benefit the environment, help reduce long-tem energy costs, and offer another source for helpful job creation.

We are not advocating for specific benchmarks for alternative energy sources and incentives. However, we encourage the Ohio General Assembly to pursue reasonable and effective initiatives for energy efficiency and to develop alternate renewable and clean-energy resources.

Through firsthand experience, we have come to appreciate the impact the current energy portfolio standards have on improving the energy efficiency of church facilities and individual households. For example, the economic rebate incentives have allowed for affordable boiler replacement and lighting retrofit projects in many of our buildings.

Please help support keeping the environment safe for all Ohioans.

Thanks for all you do!

Sr. Kathleen Ryan, Diane Zbasnik, Pat O'Bryan, Kelly Davis, Rachel Schmidt and Ann Coplan

Send an urgent

message to Gov. Kasich

Your Action Needed

on OH's Path to Clean Energy

from Catholic Climate Covenant

On May 8th, the Ohio State Senate passed SB 310.

This bill rolls back Ohio's important clean energy and energy efficiency standards by proposing a two year freeze on them while a legislative panel studies the standards. In response, the Ohio Catholic Conference sent a letter to legislators and asked them "to prayerfully consider if it would be more prudent for the sake of environmental stewardship to maintain our current policies and not freeze these standards while the study takes place."

TAKE ACTION HERE

Background

"Ohio law requires electric distribution utilities and electric services companies to secure a portion of their electricity supplies from alternative energy resources. By the year 2025, 25 percent of the electricity sold by each utility or electric services company within Ohio must be generated from alternative energy sources. At least 12.5 percent must be generated from renewable energy resources, including wind, hydro, biomass and at least 0.5 percent solar. All companies must meet annual renewable and solar energy benchmarks that increase as a percentage of electric supply each year.

SB 310 proposes that the state freeze these benchmarks at the current 2014 levels, and establish a study committee to review the appropriateness of such mandates."

Read the entire letter by the Ohio Catholic Conference here.