SOURCE: American Solar Energy Society
There's no sugarcoating the urgency of the situation. Federal incentives for solar, wind, geothermal, and other sustainable technologies are set to expire this December.
That means these sustainable energy sectors, some of the most promising and strategically important industries in America, are at risk of losing Federal support - unless we act now.
The facts are clear. Solar energy, wind, geothermal, energy efficiency, and other sustainable energy technologies are key components in powering green-collar jobs, promoting energy independence, and tackling climate change. At a time when fossil fuel costs continue to rise, the costs for renewable energy continue to fall.
But legislation to extend these sustainable energy tax incentives (H.R. 5351) is currently stalled in the Senate and time is running out.
That's why we urgently need your help.
The best way to break this stalemate is for grassroots supporters of solar, wind, geothermal, and others to stand together and take action.
Here's how you can help:
1) Contact your Senators to urge them to extend the renewable energy and energy conservation tax incentives to help generate green collar jobs, promote energy independence, and strengthen national security.
Click here to find the contact information for your Senators via Vote-Smart.org (simply enter your zip code on the left side and click 'go').
While the vote of each Senator is important, for your convenience, the list below represents key Senators who could provide the swing votes needed to break the stalemate. If you live in one of the states listed below, click the Senator's name to find the phone numbers of the District Senate office(s) near you so you can call them and add your voice.
- Alaska: Senator Murkowski & Senator Stevens
- Arizona: Senator Kyl & Senator McCain
- Colorado: Senator Allard
- Florida: Senator Martinez
- Idaho: Senator Craig & Senator Crapo
- Indiana: Senator Lugar
- Kansas: Senator Brownback & Senator Roberts
- Kentucky: Senator Bunning & Senator McConnell
- Nevada: Senator Ensign
- New Mexico: Senator Domenici
- New Hampshire: Senator Gregg & Senator Sununu
- North Carolina: Senator Burr & Senator Dole
- Pennsylvania: Senator Specter
- Tennessee: Senator Alexander & Senator Corker
- Utah: Senator Bennett & Senator Hatch
- Virginia: Senator Warner
2) Submit a brief letter to the editor of your local newspaper to encourage others to urge their Senators to extend the renewable energy and energy efficiency tax incentives. One key point to highlight: failure to promptly extend renewable energy tax incentives puts 116,000 solar & wind industry jobs and $19 billion in energy investment at risk.
3) Encourage your friends to get involved with the steps listed above to help end the stalemate in the Senate.
This is a critical time for supporters of solar energy. And your help is needed now more than ever. We can create a sustainable energy economy, but only if we work together.
Thank you for getting involved and adding your voice to the large and growing numbers of citizens in support of solar energy, energy efficiency, and other sustainable energy technologies.
Best regards,
Neal Lurie
Director of Marketing & Communications
American Solar Energy Society
303.443.3130 x105
www.ases.org
March 24, 2008
At the end of February,
the U.S. House of Representatives went “once more unto the breach” in an attempt to create long-term extensions for renewable energy tax credits.
And just as had happened twice before, the bill (on this occasion the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax of 2008, H.R. 5351) passed the House comfortably. The final vote was 236 - 182 with 11 members of the House not voting, and was largely split along party lines.
In a joint statement, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and sponsor of the bill Charles Rangel said: “The bill extends and expands tax incentives for renewable electricity, energy and fuel, as well as for hybrid cars, and energy efficient homes, buildings, and appliances. It does not add to our deficit, but rather repeals $18 billion in tax subsidies for Big Oil companies.
By strengthening our renewable energy sector, the bill will help create the next generation of good-paying, green collar jobs and bring down energy prices in the long term.”
Of course, it’s that “$18 billion in tax subsidies for Big Oil” that has stymied similar bills before, with Senate Republicans closing ranks in the face of intense lobbying from that very sector of American industry. And the Bush Administration has already issued a letter indicating that the president will veto a bill that rolls back tax breaks for the oil and gas industry, so all eyes are now on the Senate: can the Finance Committee find sources of revenue for renewable energy tax credits that are less objectionable to the GOP and the White House?
We understand that in this interim period between House and Senate votes, Finance Committee members are working hard to find common ground between opposing positions. There are other potential sources of revenue out there that could sway enough Republicans to switch their vote when the bill comes to the Senate floor in late April–enough to avoid a filibuster, perhaps enough even to overcome a veto–but it’s going to take a lot of haggling on the Hill to make everybody play nice.
Postscript: We’re told—by Oil and Gas—that Oil and Gas needs those tax breaks to finance exploration for new sources of oil and gas. What a difference three years makes. Here’s President Bush on 5/14/2005:
“And so one of the initiatives that I will push, again, is to get an energy bill out. I will tell you with $55 oil we don’t need incentives to oil and gas companies to explore. There are plenty of incentives. What we need is to put a strategy in place that will help this country over time become less dependent. It’s really important. It’s an important part of our economic security, and it’s an important part of our national security.”
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