Coalition of governors asks Congressional leaders to extend wind energy tax credits

WASHINGTON, March 31 -- The chairman and vice chairman of the Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition, as well as two of the coalition’s former chairmen, sent a letter to Congressional leadership today urging Congress to approve a multiyear extension of the production tax credit (PTC) and investment tax credit as soon as possible.

The U.S. Senate Finance Committee considers a markup of the tax bill this week.

The governors said: “While tax reform is important, our states’ wind energy jobs are also important and should not be unnecessarily put at risk, again. The livelihood of our citizens should not be sacrificed while longer-term, economy-wide tax code solutions are debated.”

“With support of the PTC, the wind industry has grown nearly 600 percent since 2005 and has invested $105 billion in the nation’s economy, bringing our states jobs, manufacturing and local economic benefits. Today, our four states alone produce nearly 14 percent of our electricity from wind energy (Iowa 27.4 percent; South Dakota 26 percent; Oregon 12.4 percent; and Washington 6.2 percent.)”

About the  Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition: The Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition is a bipartisan group of the nation’s governors who are dedicated to the development of the nation’s wind energy resources to meet America’s domestic energy demands in an environmentally responsible manner — while reducing the nation’s dependence on imported energy sources and stimulating state and national economic development.

Through its multi-state coordinated efforts, the Coalition is engaged in several national initiatives: encouraging sound national policy and legislation for the development and distribution of wind-generated energy; communicating, and demonstrating the value and benefits of wind energy to consumers, energy companies and policy makers; sharing state best practices in wind and renewable energy policy development; creating an environment of support for those who wish to develop responsible wind energy resources; and supporting development of infrastructure for the expansion of wind energy across the United States.

For more information, visit www.GovernorsWindEnergyCoalition.org

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