Ohio Senate approves Carey resolution

The Ohio Senate has approved a resolution sponsored by State Senator John Carey (R-Wellston), which urges the federal government to take action to ensure that two critical advanced energy development projects in Southern Ohio have the resources necessary to move forward. Senate Resolution 108, which passed the Senate 33-0 on October 27, calls on President Barack Obama to direct the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to support a $2 billion federal loan guarantee that is needed for construction to continue on the United States Enrichment Corporation's (USEC) American Centrifuge facility in Piketon. Over the summer, the Obama Administration announced that they were postponing a final review of USEC's loan application for six months. Sen. Carey explained that the delay has created doubt about the future of the American Centrifuge plant and caused many workers at the site to lose their jobs. "Over the past several weeks, I have been contacted by several folks who have been laid off from the Piketon facility or have family members who have lost their jobs, and they all expressed tremendous concerns about the possibility of more lay-offs," said Carey. "I urge the DOE and the President to take whatever action is necessary to avert further job losses at the plant and prevent the demobilization of the American Centrifuge project." SR 108 also encourages the federal government to assist the Southern Ohio Clean Energy Park Alliance, which includes USEC, the Southern Ohio Diversification Initiative and several other Ohio energy companies, with their plan to develop America's first clean energy park in Pike County. The DOE is currently considering a request for funding assistance with the early phases of the project. "Both of these projects have tremendous potential to not only provide a significant boost to Southern Ohio's economy and bring jobs to our region, but support the larger goal of encouraging advanced energy development in our state and across the country," said Carey. "I would like to thank my colleagues in the Senate on both sides of the aisle for their support of SR 108. While we represent different parts of Ohio, the Senate sent a clear message this week that the American Centrifuge plant and the Clean Energy Park are not only important for the future of Southern Ohio, but our entire state."[[In-content Ad]]