Majority of House Democrats urge leadership to push clean energy tax incentives
A majority of the House Democratic Caucus — 166 members in all — wrote their leadership this week pressing for the inclusion of clean energy tax incentives in any legislation deemed must-pass by the end of 2019.
This fall, the House Ways and Means Committee intends to move on a clean energy tax package, but the legislators view clean energy tax policies as something that cannot wait. They have dubbed immediate action on climate policies a matter of American security, particularly for future generations.
“Tax incentives have been an important and powerful policy tool in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing use of clean energy technology,” the lawmakers wrote. “The above outlined policies would go a long way in providing planning certainty for clean energy investments, furthering the advancement of clean energy across the country, and helping us strive towards and ultimately beyond our Paris Agreement commitments. In addition, these policies, along with others that ensure strong labor standards and incentives for domestic manufacturing, can help ensure American leadership in clean energy technology, drive domestic manufacturing, and support the creation and maintenance of good American jobs in the next generation of technology.”
Noting a sole decade with which to take transformative action — a reference to figures recently heard by the United Nations — the lawmakers called for five specific policies. They desire energy storage to be a stand-alone technology in the view of the Investment Tax Credit, so it can gain an ITC extension — something that has previously helped the expansion of solar and wind energy. Zero Emission Vehicles were also high on their list. They want plug-in electric vehicles to gain an extended tax credit, along with fuel cell vehicles, citing support from the automotive industry, utility sector, and environmental community alike.
Beyond that, they also desire a greater push for offshore wind facilities. Owing to those facilities’ longer build times, lawmakers seek an extension of their 30 percent investment tax credit through 2025. An extension of the ITC for all qualified technologies — with expanded eligibility for wind power — would further benefit the industry, in their view. Finally, they encourage an extension of the deduction for energy efficient commercial and multifamily buildings, along with incentives for homeowner efficiency improvements and energy efficient new homes, as a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, dangerous air pollution, and cost.
In these areas, the federal lawmakers also have the support of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE).
“This is a tremendous show of support for tangible progress on clean energy and climate,” Gregory Wetstone, President and CEO of ACORE, said. “Over 70 percent of House Democrats – from the Congressional Progressive Caucus to the New Democrat Coalition – have come together with a unified voice to urge prompt action on a robust package of smart, clean energy tax incentives as the best chance to address climate change this year. ACORE would especially like to thank the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition for spearheading this important effort, and all of the signatories for standing up and speaking out on a critical priority for so many Americans.”
