Oct232017BlogAuthor: Gregory WetstoneOctober 23, 2017Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt.The Hill As reported recently by The Hill, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt thinks the solar investment tax credit and wind production tax credit should be eliminated. Speaking at an event in Kentucky, Pruitt said “I would do away with these incentives that we give to wind and solar…I’d let them stand on their own and compete against coal and natural gas and other sources, and let utilities make real-time market decisions on those types of things as opposed to being propped up by tax incentives and other types of credits that occur, both in the federal level and state level.” In a follow-up response letter published in the Oct. 17 print edition of the The Hill, I offered the following response on behalf of the renewables industry: “Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt’s assertion last week that the federal tax credits for wind and solar power should be eliminated leads one to wonder if he is aware that these credits are already phasing out under a bipartisan tax package agreed to in late 2015. It’s troubling that the Administrator would focus his tax views on the dwindling Federal support for the renewable sector, rather than the permanent subsidies for fossil fuels that have been in place for more than 90 years. With responsibility for protecting the nation’s air quality, one would hope the Administrator would value the tremendous improvement in pollution levels accompanying the booming growth in the renewable energy sector. And then there is the reality of what the $50 billion in annual renewable energy investment means for the U.S. economy, including the creation of the country’s two fastest-growing job categories, wind power technician and solar power installer. Fortunately, support for renewable energy spans the political spectrum and Americans can be confident that the Congress, which will make the call on tax legislation, will keep these facts in mind.” Category: BlogOctober 23, 2017 Share this TweetShare on Twitter Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn Share on FacebookShare on Facebook Author: Gregory Wetstone Gregory Wetstone is President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). ACORE is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing renewable energy through finance, policy, and market development. With member companies from across the spectrum of renewable energy technologies and close ties to the renewable energy finance sector, ACORE is the preeminent voice for the nation’s renewable energy industry. Greg has written and spoken widely on energy and environmental issues. His writings have appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, the Atlanta Constitution, the Miami Herald, the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Diego Union Tribune and other newspapers and magazines across the nation. He has appeared on the ABC Nightly News, the Newshour with Jim Lehrer, NBC World News Tonight, CNN, and National Public Radio. Greg has a J.D. from the Duke University School of Law and a B.S. in biology from Florida State University. Related PostsCelebrating One Year of Progress: The Inflation Reduction Act’s Impact on Renewable Energy and the American EconomyAugust 14, 2023Renewables Keep the Lights on in TexasJuly 25, 2023Unprecedented Opportunity for Renewable Investment on Display at 2023 ACORE Finance ForumJune 29, 2023Expectations for Renewable Energy Finance: The Post-IRA LandscapeJune 21, 2023Federal Government: It’s Time for More Regional and Interregional TransmissionApril 6, 2023Setting the Record Straight on Renewable Energy MythsMarch 30, 2023
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