NEW ENERGY, THE CAMPAIGN ISSUE

Campaign Ads Slam Stimulus Bill Program for Renewable Energy
October 25, 2010 (NY Times)

"Republican and Democratic campaign leaders clashed…over the accuracy of GOP political ads attacking a stimulus bill program that gives money to renewable power companies.

"The wind industry's biggest trade group in a letter had asked national campaign committees to cease running ads that the industry argues make false statements about the program. The spots, appearing in several states, make inaccurate criticisms about the stimulus law's section 1603 program, said Denise Bode, president and CEO of American Wind Energy Association. The effort gives grants in place of tax credits that businesses otherwise would get for alternative energy projects…Bode said…[the leverages both] foreign and domestic investment [to create U.S. jobs]…"

From americanwindenergy via YouTube

"…A study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that as many as 40 percent of the wind farms built in the first year of the program installed turbines and other equipment manufactured overseas…[A NY Times] investigation found that 64 percent of the 50 largest projects -- representing $2.7 billion -- started construction before the stimulus bill became law. The Obama administration, AWEA and other renewable companies said the program provided essential capital…during the recession. Many of those businesses would have had to stop development, Bode said...[I]n interviews [some companies] said that they could have gone forward and carried the debt…

"The ads are running as part of 18 House races, AWEA said. They appear in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Colorado, Tennessee, Ohio, Illinois, New Mexico, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia, Oregon, Michigan and Minnesota. The wind trade group said the National Republican Campaign Committee funds the ads in most states where they appear…The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee defended the program and attacked Republicans for using the program in its political ads."

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[The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee:] "In an effort to distract from their support of corporate tax breaks for outsourcing American jobs, Republicans across the country have launched blatantly false attacks on Democrats…By law, 100 percent of wind projects that receive incentives through Recovery Act are built in the United States by American workers to provide power for U.S. homes and businesses…[According to the Treasury Department, which issues the grants], property which is used predominantly outside the United States does not qualify for a payment under Section 1603."

"…Republicans cited statements by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) to criticize the program. Schumer last year reacted sharply following news reports that a large portion of money under the program had gone to foreign corporations…Large wind developers and AWEA have said that when the program started there were fewer wind part manufacturers in the United States. That portion of domestically made products has grown because of the stimulus incentive, they said…Bode said that the program has been critical to protecting 85,000 wind industry jobs…"