The group fighting against Ohio's nuclear bailout law can officially begin collecting signatures to put a referendum on next year's ballot. But they face a steep uphill climb, having to collect more than 265,000 signatures in seven weeks.
Ohioans Against Corporate Bailouts got the final approval they needed from the secretary of state to send volunteers and paid workers out to collect signatures from voters.
They’re working toward a ballot issue that would overturn House Bill 6, which will add new monthly charges on electric bills to bail out nuclear power plants and subsidize coal plants.
But supporters of the new law are urging voters to not sign the petition, saying the bailout saves a large amount of non-carbon emitting nuclear power, along with about 4,000 permanent and seasonal jobs.
The deadline to collect the signatures is October 21, when the law is set to take effect.
