News Releases

Sen. Moran Supports Domestic Energy Production

Introduces amendment to extend wind energy tax credit

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With thousands of wind-energy jobs in Kansas and Colorado hanging in the balance, U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) today introduced an amendment to extend the wind energy production tax credit (PTC) for one year to a bill currently under debate in the U.S. Senate. The tax credit is set to expire at the end of 2012 and if it is not extended soon, new wind energy development projects and the thousands of jobs associated with those projects are expected to drop significantly after 2012. The extension of the wind energy PTC is fully paid for.

“If we expect the wind energy industry to make long-term investments in their businesses and provide for our country’s future energy needs, Congress must quickly work to reauthorize the wind production tax credit,” Sen. Moran said. “The wind industry has relied upon this tax incentive to aid in its development so it can become fully cost competitive in the marketplace. I support this extension with the understanding that the wind industry will soon become more economically viable and openly compete in the free market.”

Kansas is ranked second in the United States in wind resource potential and leads the nation in wind capacity currently under construction. With hundreds of Kansans employed in manufacturing and installing wind farm components, Kansas is a national leader in wind energy production.

Nationally, expiration of the wind production tax credit could cost as many as 37,000 jobs, according to the American Wind Energy Association.

 

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