AWEA statement on senate rejection of energy bill

Following the U.S. Senate's rejection of energy legislation that was passed Dec. 6 by the U.S. House of Representatives, and in anticipation of continued negotiations on the bill, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) issued the following statement by AWEA Executive Director Randall Swisher:

"We are deeply disappointed by this morning's Senate vote on energy legislation. Our nation is at a critically important crossroads on energy policy and, with this morning's vote, the Senate seems prepared to take the wrong road.

"At a time when the country is buffeted by growing demand for electricity, higher energy costs, and climate change and energy security concerns, a cornerstone of any energy bill should be to promote renewable energy. The Renewable Electricity Standard and the extension of clean energy tax incentives that are included in the House bill should therefore also be included in the final Senate bill. These provisions would unleash the power of renewable energy to generate new manufacturing and construction jobs, lower Americans' home energy bills, strengthen our energy security and help protect the planet's climate.

"Reports suggest that Senate leaders may look to bring a revised version of this bill to the floor. We call on Senate leaders to work together to ensure that overwhelmingly popular provisions to promote renewable electricity are not left out in the cold as this effort moves forward. We will be working closely with our more than 1,200 member companies to promote passage of these critical provisions."