CEI Joins More Than 30 Organizations Opposing Extending Renewable Energy Provisions in FAA Reauthorization

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Dear Chairman Hatch and Ranking Member Wyden:

On behalf of our organizations and the millions of Americans we represent, we write to express our strong opposition to extending expiring renewable energy provisions on upcoming legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Congress considered the matter of expiring tax provisions less than 4 months ago.

The $680 billion package signed into law in December made some of these items permanent and allowed more than two dozen others to expire at the end of this past year, laying the groundwork for comprehensive tax reform. The $1.4 billion in expiring tax provisions currently under consideration — pertaining to wind power, geothermal heat pumps, fuel cell facilities and combined heat and power (CHP) properties — are a distortion of the tax laws for special interests in the renewable energy industry and were wisely left out of this package.

It should also be noted that Congress extended significantly favorable tax treatment to renewable energy in omnibus appropriation legislation that accompanied the aforementioned tax extender package. This bill included 5-year extensions of the main federal provisions for renewables, the wind production tax credit (PTC) and the solar investment tax credit (ITC), at a cost of $23.8 billion over the next decade.

Government subsidies, loans, mandates, and tax policies regarding renewables have consistently failed to deliver on their promises of long-term job creation and economic viability. Americans deserve access to energy solutions that are affordable and reliable—ones that should be able to stand on their own in the marketplace.

We encourage you to oppose efforts to use unrelated legislation as a vehicle to extend expiring tax provisions for renewable energy. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Brent Gardner,
Vice President of Government Affairs Americans for Prosperity

Amy Noone Frederick,
President 60 Plus Association

Phil Kerpen,
President American Commitment

Dan Schneider,
Executive Director
Matt Schlapp,
Chairman American Conservative Union

George David Banks,
Executive Vice President American Council for Capital Formation

Sean Noble,
President American Encore

Tom Pyle,
President American Energy Alliance

Coley Jackson,
President Americans for Competitive Enterprise

Peter J. Thomas,
Chairman Americans for Constitutional Liberty

Richard Manning,
President Americans for Limited Government

Grover Norquist,
President Americans for Tax Reform

Marita Noon,
Executive Director Citizens' Alliance for Responsible Energy (CARE)

Tom Brinkman Jr.,
Chairman Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes (COAST)

Myron Ebell,
Director, Center for Energy and Environment Competitive Enterprise Institute

Dan Caldwell,
Vice President for Political and Legislative Action Concerned Veterans for America

Tom Schatz,
President Council for Citizens Against Government Waste

Craig Richardson,
Executive Director Energy & Environment Legal Institute (E&E Legal)

Marita Noon,
Executive Director Energy Makes America Great

Dick Ribbentrop,
Senior Vice President, Policy Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce

Wayne T. Brough, Ph.D.,
Chief Economist and VP for Research FreedomWorks

George Landrith,
President Frontiers of Freedom

Andrew Clark,
President Generation Opportunity

Michael A. Needham,
Chief Executive Officer Heritage Action for America

Andrew Langer,
President Institute for Liberty

Seton Motley,
President Less Government

Daniel Garza,
Executive Director The LIBRE Initiative

Dee Hodges,
President Maryland Taxpayers Association

Harry C. Alford,
President/CEO National Black Chamber of Commerce

Amy Ridenour,
Chairman National Center for Public Policy Research

Willes K. Lee,
President National Federation of Republican Assemblies

Pete Sepp,
President National Taxpayers Union

David Williams,
President Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Judson Phillips,
Founder Tea Party Nation

Brooke Rollins,
President Texas Public Policy Foundation