Wind power: An American success story?
 |
Wind farm near Ruthton, Minn.: Wind energy in America has surged in recent years benefiting the environment and creating jobs; that success is now at risk.
|
The next chapter is up to Congress
How’s this for an environmental and economic success story? Wind power is now generating enough energy to power 10 million American homes, while bringing down energy costs by 90 percent. In Minnesota, wind now provides 10 percent of the state’s electricity. In Iowa, it’s 15 percent.
So what do some in Congress want to do? Pull the rug out from the industry by letting key clean energy tax credits expire. If these forces in Washington, D.C., get their way, 37,000 Americans will likely lose their jobs, and American manufacturing of wind turbines will come to a screeching halt.
Pollution-free power
“Letting these tax credits expire is a bad idea any way you look at it,” said Environment America’s Courtney Abrams. “Wind energy is providing Americans with pollution-free power and putting people to work across the country. Why end something that’s working so well?”
The good news is that we have the president on our side. He listed the wind incentives among his “Top 5 To-Dos” for Congress this summer. Even Republican political consultant Karl Rove has said Congress should extend the credit.
Big Oil is opposed
But Big Oil and other polluting industries have already begun to weigh in against the incentive, and with only a few short months until it expires, we’re running out of time.
So Environment America is ramping up our efforts, lobbying key members of Congress, reaching out to editorial boards, and organizing public support to get this key wind policy across the finish line before the end of the year.
We’re also working to get the first wind turbines spinning off America’s coast within the next five years.
In addition to campaigning for wind power, we’re working to help Minnesota, Arizona, Oregon and other states get at least 10 percent of their energy from solar power by 2030. Our advocates and members in Massachusetts celebrated a major victory for solar in August, when Gov. Deval Patrick signed a bill that will dramatically expand access to solar energy for families, businesses and local governments.
How’s this for an environmental and economic success story? Wind power is now generating enough energy to power 10 million American homes, while bringing down energy costs by 90 percent. In Minnesota, wind now provides 10 percent of the state’s electricity. In Iowa, it’s 15 percent.
So what do some in Congress want to do? Pull the rug out from the industry by letting key clean energy tax credits expire. If these forces in Washington, D.C., get their way, 37,000 Americans will likely lose their jobs, and American manufacturing of wind turbines will come to a screeching halt.
Pollution-free power
“Letting these tax credits expire is a bad idea any way you look at it,” said Environment America’s Courtney Abrams. “Wind energy is providing Americans with pollution-free power and putting people to work across the country. Why end something that’s working so well?”
The good news is that we have the president on our side. He listed the wind incentives among his “Top 5 To-Dos” for Congress this summer. Even Republican political consultant Karl Rove has said Congress should extend the credit.
Big Oil is opposed
But Big Oil and other polluting industries have already begun to weigh in against the incentive, and with only a few short months until it expires, we’re running out of time.
So Environment America is ramping up our efforts, lobbying key members of Congress, reaching out to editorial boards, and organizing public support to get this key wind policy across the finish line before the end of the year.
We’re also working to get the first wind turbines spinning off America’s coast within the next five years.
In addition to campaigning for wind power, we’re working to help Minnesota, Arizona, Oregon and other states get at least 10 percent of their energy from solar power by 2030. Our advocates and members in Massachusetts celebrated a major victory for solar in August, when Gov. Deval Patrick signed a bill that will dramatically expand access to solar energy for families, businesses and local governments.
No comments:
Post a Comment