Governors' Wind Energy Coalition

The Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition announced Monday that Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber would take over as chairman and vice chairman of the group, which is focused on communicating the benefits of wind energy and lobbying the federal government to extend the production tax credit.

Branstad and Kitzhaber will take over the reins of the bipartisan group from Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee who led the coalition last year.

“Oregon is reaping the benefits of robust wind energy investment,” Kitzhaber said in a press release. “We’re tapping a home-grown, renewable energy resource that is strengthening Oregon’s economy with new family-wage jobs in our rural communities, a growing tax base for schools and public services and an expanding supply chain of local businesses. I look forward to joining Governor Branstad and other governors across the country to help meet the nation’s 20 percent wind energy goal.”

The coalition formally called for the extension of the production tax credit — an incentive seen as critical to the wind energy industry — in November.