Stage is Set for Wind Incentive Effort as Extension Bills are Offered in Both Houses

ARCHIVED 2002–2016: Originally distributed via the eWire press wire service. Preserved as historical record.

SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE |

Conservation & Wildlife

Corporate Responsibility

Science & Technology

Syndication Partners

**************************************************************************

E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE

**************************************************************************

TO ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT EDITORS:

Stage is Set for Wind Incentive Effort as Extension Bills are Offered in Both Houses

Proposals Would Extend Clean Energy Tax Credit for Five Years; Wind Industry Mapping Capitol Hill Blitz

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Mar. 22 -/E-Wire/-- Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Jim Jeffords (R-Vt.), and Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) helped set the stage for what is expected to be a strong effort to extend the federal wind energy production tax credit (PTC), introducing legislation (S. 530) March 14 to extend the credit for five years. S. 530 joins a companion bill (H.R. 876) introduced in the House of Representatives a week earlier.

Jaime Steve, Director of Legislative Affairs for the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), said wind companies and advocates will be pressing the case for the incentive actively, with one highlight of the campaign being a week-long lobbying blitz on Capitol Hill in conjunction with AWEA's national conference, Windpower 2001, in Washington, D.C., in early June.

"The bill is called the BREEZE Act, and I hope it'll be a breeze to get it passed into law," Grassley, who chairs the powerful Senate Finance Committee, said. "The wind is a clean, abundant natural resource. Harnessing its power makes perfect sense, especially in times of energy shortages and soaring prices. Wind energy is a breath of fresh air."

Other initial cosponsors of S. 530 include Senate Energy Committee Chair Frank Murkowski (R-Alaska), John Breaux (D-La.), Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Larry Craig (R-Ida.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

"The wind industry is grateful for the support of Senator Grassley, who has championed the PTC since its inception in 1992," said Jon Chase, AWEA Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs. "The introduction of this bill is a crucial step towards extending the wind PTC."

In the House, a bipartisan group of members from the Ways & Means Committee, which is responsible for all tax legislation, joined to back H.R. 876. The bill was introduced March 6 by Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.), along with lead sponsors Reps. Jerry Weller (R-Ill.), Bob Matsui (D-Calif.), and Karen Thurman (D-Fla.).

Other original sponsors were Reps. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Wes Watkins (R-Okla.), Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.), Jim McCrery (R-La.), E. Clay Shaw, Jr. (R-Fla.) and Scott McInnis (R-Colo.). All 10 of these members serve on the tax panel.

"The wind industry greatly appreciates the strong bipartisan leadership of Representatives Foley, Weller, Matsui and Thurman in offering this legislation," said AWEA Legislative Director Steve. "This is a vital part of building a broad base of support for extending the credit."

The PTC provides a 1.5 cent per kWh tax credit (adjusted for inflation) for electricity produced using wind resources. Under current law, the PTC is set to expire December 31. The provision was first created as part of the Energy Policy Act of 1992. When extended for the first and only time in 1999, the PTC attracted support from two-thirds of the House tax committee and nearly half of the entire House of Representatives.

American Wind Energy Association

Tom Gray (802) 649-2112, Christine Real de Azua (202) 383-2508

**************************************************************************

To Transmit Your News Over E-Wire, visit http://www.ewire.com or

call 1-[REDACTED-PHONE]. E-Wire Is Broadcast To Millions Of Readers Worldwide

**************************************************************************