Markey: While Obama Admin. Winds Up Wind Energy Off Atlantic Coast, Congressional Republicans Slashing Clean Energy Funding
WASHINGTON (February 2, 2012) - Proving their continued dedication to wind energy, the Obama administration's Interior Department today announced that the path is now clear to begin leasing areas for offshore wind farms in the Mid-Atlantic region. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said this administrative action must be combined with congressional moves to continue important tax credits for renewable energy that will prevent layoffs of thousands of American workers.
"Offshore wind energy has the chance to employ tens of thousands of American workers, but not if Republicans kill support for renewable energy as a favor to oil and coal industry lobbyists," said Rep. Markey, who is the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee. "We should be capturing the wave of jobs that is coming from wind energy, not allowing it to crest under the weight of political pressure from fossil fuel special interests."
America has installed more than 35,000 megawatts of wind in just the last 5 years. In contrast, less than 15,000 megawatts of new coal-fired generation was added to the U.S. electric grid during this same period. The cost of wind power has fallen by more than one third since 2008, reaching 3 cents per kilowatt hour in some regions of the country.
But the U.S. clean energy sector is in danger of falling off a cliff in 2012. Highly successful programs from the Recovery Act, like the Clean Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit and the 1603 Renewable Energy Grant Program, have now expired and Republicans oppose extending them. Republicans have also rescinded more than $18 billion from the Renewable Energy Loan Guarantee Program, while keeping $22.5 billion for the nuclear industry and $8 billion for fossil fuels.
The only remaining federal support for the wind sector is the Production Tax Credit. That program expires at the end of 2012. While House Republicans continue to protect more than $40 billion in tax breaks for oil companies, they have made no moves to extend critical tax credits for the renewable energy sector.
"Instead of protecting billions in tax breaks for oil companies that enrich their executives and shareholders, we should be extending important renewable energy incentives that produce jobs," said Rep. Markey. "Right now, while Republicans bemoan the loss of possible jobs associated with the Keystone XL pipeline decision, we are seeing actual pink slips in the wind industry. 10,000 wind workers have already lost their jobs as orders dry up for next year. 27,000 more workers could be let go by the end of the year. It is unconscionable to defund clean energy while maintaining $40 billion in taxpayer subsidies for the wealthiest industry in the world, the oil and gas industry."
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