View this email in a web browser.
House bill would extend investment tax credits
A new bill from Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.) would extend the investment tax credits for offshore wind until 2026. The bill is a companion to S. 3036, which Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) introduced in June. Both bills aim to extend the tax credit beyond its current expiration in 2019. In a statement, Langevin said that deadline is too soon, making it unlikely that any additional wind projects will qualify before the cutoff. [ read more … ]
Senate, House panels probe solar firms
The companies receiving the letters were SunEdison Inc., Abengoa SA, NextEra Energy Inc., NRG Energy Inc., SolarCity Corp., Sunrun Inc. and Sungevity Inc. They are a sample of firms under committee investigation, sources said. The Senate Finance Committee has been examining billions of dollars in green energy incentives — including the 1603 program and investment tax credits — out of concerns that the Treasury Department and IRS lack adequate controls over cash distributions. [ read more … ]
NY releases ‘blueprint’ for developing wind energy plan
New York’s energy agency has released a “blueprint” for developing the Offshore Wind Master Plan described by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in his 2016 State of the State address, saying the plan will come out at the end of 2017. The 24-page document released Thursday by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority says the state is examining a 16,740-square-mile area off the Atlantic coast for potential wind project sites. [ read more … ]
Washington adopts first-of-its-kind rule to combat climate change
In an effort to protect all that Washington has to offer future generations, the Washington Department of Ecology is launching a new plan to combat climate change. After months of stakeholder meetings, and public review and input, Ecology today adopted a first-of-its-kind clean air rule that caps and reduces carbon pollution. “Today marks a watershed moment in our country’s history,” said Ecology Director Maia Bellon. “We are taking leadership under our clean air act, adopting a strong and practical plan to reduce greenhouse gases, and doing our fair share to tackle climate change.”
[ read more … ]
Experts ponder whether Supreme Court will have ultimate say
“The D.C. decision is very consequential. I’m not all convinced that the Supreme Court will take it up,” Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt (R) said yesterday at a Washington, D.C., event hosted by the conservative Federalist Society. But if the high court does take up the Clean Power Plan, attorneys are mining past cases for hints as to where the justices will fall. Both sides have found prior decisions that they think the justices can lean on in deciding the case. [ read more … ]
Watch videos capture power of wind farms, technological advancement
A wave of new videos shared over the last month do a great job of capturing the power of U.S. wind farms and how wind turbine technology continues to evolve. American wind power has more than tripled since 2008, supplying over five percent of U.S. electricity today. That growth has been largely due to performance-based tax policy (Production Tax Credit) and American workers advancing turbine technology. [ read more … ]
More than 80% of Americans support U.S. climate goals
A strong majority of Americans think the United States should meet its obligations under the Paris climate agreement, though they doubt nations abroad will uphold their end of the bargain, according to an Associated Press and University of Chicago poll released today. The survey found that 80 percent of Americans want the United States to try to cut its emissions, as the deal requires, even if foreign nations, such as India and China, do not. [ read more … ]
Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.