Sandusky's mayor says bill to aid Davis-Besse needs work

SANDUSKY — Sandusky's ex officio mayor, Dennis Murray Jr., who is a strong supporter of green energy and fighting against global warming, contends the House bill to keep the Davis-Besse nuclear power station open is "an environmental scandal."Murray said he supports providing money to keep the Davis-Besse and Perry nuclear plants open and producing carbon-free energy. But Murray said that action should not come at the expense of dropping efforts to expand the use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power."Nuclear is important for our area and for our country. We have disinvested in nuclear. That's a mistake. I think that we should be investing money in nuclear. But that doesn't mean to the exclusion of other things," Murray said in a recent interview."We had a good sustainable energy portfolio in Ohio. I think we should keep that, we should continue to fund that. This isn't a reason to get rid of that," he said.The Ohio House recently approved House Bill 6, which puts a fee on electrical bills that would generate about $197 million a year, with most money going to support the two nuclear plants. Money also would be used to support two coal plants.The measure is now awaiting action in the Senate. The Ohio Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee heard testimony on the bill on Tuesday. Murray said he hopes the Senate will amend the bill.Murray is particularly upset coal is subsidized in the bill."To extend it to coal is unconscionable," he said. "I have no idea how anyone could justify that."Murray's interest in green energy is intense and reflected in how he lives and works.Murray has a solar power panel installed in his Sandusky home. His home is heated and cooled with a geothermal system. He drives a Tesla electric car.The family law firm where Murray works, Murray and Murray, has the largest solar power array in Erie County, installed at his suggestion. It provides about 35 percent of the power for the building and its nearby marina, Murray said.It's been a good investment and other Sandusky businesses should also consider installing solar power, he said."If you've got an open area on a roof in your business, it really just makes sense," he said.Politics explains some of the features of House Bill 6 that Murray objects to, said state Rep. Steve Arndt, R-Port Clinton.By eliminating support for wind and solar power, lawmakers could reduce the size of the existing fee on electrical bills to support green energy, Arndt said. Lawmakers can thus tell voters that House Bill 6 lowered the cost of their electrical bills.But Arndt said he regrets eliminating support for solar power and wind and hopes the Senate will change the bill."I think we missed some opportunities," Arndt said.Arndt contends much of the money spent to promote energy efficiency is wasted. Some of that money could be shifted to support wind power and solar power, Arndt said.Murray said the more intense storms in Ohio reflects climate change."Here we are looking at all the tornadoes that have come through the Midwest this spring, a record season for tornadoes. That's due to climate change. We're looking at the height of Lake Erie becoming a problem, an economic problem for a lot of the lakeside communities like our communities. That's what the scientists tell us," Murray said."At this point in time, to say we're going to disinvest in sustainable energy in the state and we're going to invest more in coal is crazy," he said.Murray said the bill could draw more support from Democrats if it were changed."I'm sure Democratic support is there for a better bill," he said.Murray, Dennis