More than 230 mayors urge Congress to extend Solar Investment Tax Credit
In a letter sent to Congress this week, 231 mayors from across the United States joined together to press for a five-year extension of the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), stressing its encouragement of renewable energy and lower electricity bills.
The encouragement is specifically in favor of the passage of HR3961 and S2289, better known as the Renewable Energy Extension Act. Recent data from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables determined that by extending the ITC as such, as many as 113,000 jobs and $87 billion in economic investment could result by 2030.
However, it was past results the mayors pointed to in making their case. They cited more than 2 million solar installations now in the United States and data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that labeled solar installer one of the fastest-growing jobs. Since 2006, they noted, the ITC has generated more than 200,000 jobs and $140 billion in private investment, benefiting local economies throughout the country. Their letter was, in essence, a plea to let those economic benefits continue.
“Nationally, solar energy is an American success story,” the mayors wrote. “More jobs and lower energy costs are good for everyone, from people in the smallest towns to the largest cities. As elected officials, just like us, you understand the need to support the well-being of your constituents with a strong local economy. Solar energy is a low-cost solution that saves our residents money on their electricity bills and provides well-paying job opportunities in our communities, all while helping keep our environment clean.”
The mayors represent a diverse group from cities throughout the country, both big and small, including officials from both sides of the political aisle. Of the group, 28 run cities with 100 percent renewable energy commitments.
“As the nation’s largest municipal user of renewable energy, Houston understands that sustainability and resiliency go hand in hand,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said. “Continuing to support the growth of renewable energy will help the U.S. lead the energy transition, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and build smarter, more resilient communities.”
If not extended, the ITC will begin winding down at the end of the year.
“The solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) is one of the most important federal policy mechanisms to support the growth of solar and other renewable energy sources in the United States,” Kerry Kriseman, mayor of St. Petersburg, Florida, said. “The federal ITC has been a critical innovation policy creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, lowering electricity prices for families and businesses, reducing carbon emissions, and maintaining America’s competitive edge in emerging energy technologies. With the ITC set to begin ramping down in 2020, now is the time to continue this important policy.”
SEIA, which is currently leading a push to extend clean energy tax credits at large, has issued its support of the ITC extension.
“Mayors are increasingly turning to solar energy to fight the effects of climate change and generate millions of dollars of private investment in their cities,” Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the SEIA, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to have their support as we fight to preserve one of the most successful clean energy policies in U.S. history.”
