Groups Oppose Revival of Wind Tax Credits







Oklahoma’s congressional delegation now has the task of deciding how it will stand on the controversial proposal to extend the Wind Production Tax Credit, the one that expired at the end of 2013. But the fight is underway as 66 organizations led by the American Energy Alliance are calling on the Republican leaders of the House and Senate to reject any such extension attempt.

The groups sent a letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner and Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell urging them to shoot down the efforts of President Obama and Majority Leader Harry Reid to revive the PTC.

“First, it makes no sense for the Republicans to give away any leverage they may have with respect to tax reform in the 114th Congress,” wrote the groups. “Calls to “clear the decks” for the new Congress are nonsensical; why would the newly elected Senate and House members (from either party) want to reward Senator Harry Reid for his legacy of dysfunction by allowing him the opportunity to advance his pet priority–the wind PTC—during a lame duck session?”

The groups, ranging fom the American Energy Alliance to Stop Hallam Wind, claim that extending the tax credit restricts Americans’ access to affordable and reliable energy. In their letter, they argued the credit harms Americans by hiding the true cost of wind power and also encourages states to keep expensive wind power mandates.

“The PTC enables wind operators to use the tax code to engage in predatory pricing against reliable and affordable nuclear, coal, and natural gas power plants,” continued the letter. “The PTC is such a large subsidy that industrial wind facilities can actually pay the electrical grid to take their electricity and still make money.”

The dozens of opponents of the tax credit concluded, “A vote for extending the PTC is a vote for the President and the Majority leader’s agenda.”