FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 23, 2008
CONTACT: Josh Dorner, 202.675.2384
Progress--But Dirty Fuels Must Go From Clean Energy Tax Bill
Washington, D.C.—Today by a margin of 93 to 2, the Senate passed an amended
version of the H.R. 6049, the package of energy tax extenders. This
package was amended into a larger tax package that subsequently passed
overwhelmingly. The bill extends critical tax incentives to support the
development of renewable energy technologies such as wind, solar, and
geothermal. The package also includes a suite of tax credits to support
the manufacture and purchase of energy efficient consumer appliances,
homes, buildings and plug-in hybrids. This latest version of the bill also
unfortunately contains incentives for dirty, destructive, and costly oil
shale, liquid coal, and tar sands.
The Sierra Club today called on Congress to remove the incentives for dirty
fuels from this important bill before it is sent to the president’s desk.
Statement of Melinda Pierce, Sierra Club Dep. Director of National
Campaigns
"The Senate took an important step forward today by passing a fully offset
version of these essential clean energy incentives paid for by capping
unneeded subsidies enjoyed by the biggest oil companies.
"Thankfully we’ve moved on from drill here, drill now to the real clean
energy solutions that will actually benefit hardworking Americans in the
here and now.
"Passing these renewable energy tax incentives for wind and solar
represents is one of the most important ways Congress can support the
transition clean energy economy. Supporting investment in Renewable energy
technologies will create new high wage American jobs, save consumers money
on their energy bills and reduce global warming pollution.
"Unfortunately, in the final writing of the legislation, Big Oil and Big
Coal extracted their pound of flesh by adding in tax credits for dirty,
costly and destructive liquid coal, oil shale, and tar sands. Because of
these provisions, we are unfortunately unable to support the bill at this
time. These dirty fuels provisions would be a major setback in our efforts
to address global warming and move America toward a clean energy economy.
We urge Congress to strip out these harmful provisions before the
legislation becomes law.
"While we are closer than ever to reaching a final agreement, Congress
should keep this energy bill clean and remove the dirty fuels provisions
before it is sent to the President’s desk. These dirty fuels are a dry
hole and nothing but a costly diversion from the real solutions to our
energy problems--energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy.”
# # #