Push to Save Renewable Energy Subsidies (Wind Energy, Solar Power, Geothermal Energy)

The lawmakers wrote to the leadership of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House as well as the conference committee which is currently meeting on the payroll tax cut extension.

“Our state and the whole nation have benefited tremendously from the economic development, new manufacturing jobs, and increased domestic energy supply that wind energy has provided. And the PTC has been a major factor behind this success,” wrote Sens. Tom Harkin (D) and Charles Grassley (R) and Reps. Bruce Braley (D), Tom Latham (R), Dave Loebsack (D), Leonard Boswell (D) and Steve King (R).

"[W]ith the PTC for wind due to expire at the end of 2012, the expansion, jobs and manufacturing of the industry are put in serious jeopardy–not just in Iowa, but across the country. We must provide some certainty to allow this industry to keep growing. If the PTC is not extended immediately, our communities back home stand to lose thousands of jobs, manufacturing, infrastructure and private investment," the letter concluded.

It was the second showing of bipartisan support for the wind incentive in three days. On Tuesday, several members of Colorado’s delegation wrote to the payroll tax conference committee chairmen, citing the 6,000 wind jobs in their state and the damage to its economy that will result if Congress fails to move quickly on the PTC extension.

http://harkin.senate.gov/documents/pdf/4f32f0f462b52.pdf

Tom Gray, www.awea.org/blog