This Wednesday, at a meeting of the White House Middle-Class Task Force, Vice President Joe Biden announced plans by the Obama administration to expand by $5 billion a tax credit for U.S.-based manufacturers that produce renewable energy technologies like solar panels, wind turbines and advanced batteries. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provided $2.3 billion to fund the tax credit, but those funds are expected to run out shortly because of the popularity of the program.
“The Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit program, which supports the building and equipping of factories to make the products of the green economy, has been wildly successful since its inception,” said Phil Angelides, chairman of the Apollo Alliance. “This much-needed influx of funds will help maximize private sector investment in clean energy production facilities while generating tens of thousands of new jobs in construction and manufacturing.” Click here to read the full Apollo Alliance statement on the proposal to expand the Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit.
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, whose state has been actively promoting domestic clean energy manufacturing, co-authored the tax credit provision that was included in ARRA. She released a statement praising the administration’s proposal as being central to any job-creation package:
“In order to turn Michigan’s economy around and create jobs, we need to build the clean energy technology of the future here in America. Otherwise, we will lose the race with other countries and see those jobs go overseas. This manufacturing tax credit, which I co-authored in the recovery act, has already spurred interest to invest in renewable energy technologies such as wind, solar, geothermal, and advanced batteries for vehicles in Michigan and across the country,” Stabenow said.
Congress will still need to approve the administration’s proposal, which would fund the expansion of the tax credit with money left over from the bank bailout.
The White House also released on Wednesday a report on the challenges to U.S. manufacturing and the government policies that could help U.S. manufacturers succeed. Click here to read the report, A Framework For Revitalizing American Manufacturing.
Outcome in Copenhagen Still Unclear
As we finalize this weekly update, it’s still uncertain whether a global climate agreement will be reached in Copenhagen. President Obama has just made a speech to those attending the international gathering, saying that if the nations of the world fail to reach an accord, “we will be back having the same stale arguments month after month, year after year – all while the danger of climate change grows until it is irreversible.”
Richard Black of BBC News described the current state of the talks: “Two years ago, governments committed to agreeing a new deal to combat climate change – ‘full and sustained implementation of the UN climate convention’ – by the end of today…In back rooms now, officials are drafting and re-drafting documents in an attempt to find a form of words – any form of words – that will allow them to get out of here clutching a piece of paper.”
The Apollo Alliance is urging the governments of the world to find common ground and reach a fair, ambitious and binding climate change treaty. Many of our board members, member groups and allies are in Copenhagen, and we recommend that you refer to their blogs over the next few days to read their analyses of the final outcome in Copenhagen. Following are a list of recommended blogs:
AFL-CIO
Climate Progress
Green For All
Grist
Huffington Post
It’s Getting Hot In Here (youth perspective)
Natural Resources Defense Council
Third World Network (climate justice perspective)
And if you haven’t yet read it, you should know about an outstanding editorial that ran on December 7 in 56 newspapers around the world in 20 different languages. It urged global leaders to seize the opportunity to reach an agreement in Copenhagen. This editorial is an inspiration to people all over the world. Even if an agreement isn’t reached in Copenhagen, this editorial should inspire us to continue our work to take decisive action to stop climate change before it ravages our planet. Click here to read the editorial, Copenhagen climate change conference: ‘Fourteen days to seal history’s judgment on this generation.’
In other news …
*CBO says the Senate clean energy and climate bill could save $21 billion. This week, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office released its estimate of the cost of implementing S. 1733, the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. The CBO found that the bill would create a surplus of $21 billion over the period between 2010 and 2019. Senator Barbara Boxer, who co-authored the bill, said, “The CBO score shows that there is a way to design a clean energy and climate bill that is fiscally responsible and gets the job done – while protecting the health of our families and the planet.”
*Make an end-of-the-year donation to the Apollo Alliance! Help the Apollo Alliance seal the deal on America’s clean energy and climate policies in 2010. The House of Representatives has already passed the American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act, but now the Senate needs to step up and pass its version of a new, national energy policy. Donate to the Apollo Alliance today to help us make 2010 the year of clean energy and good jobs!
*Weekly update is going on vacation. The Apollo Alliance office will be closed for the holidays, and therefore the weekly update will be on hiatus until the first week of 2010. Happy holidays and talk to you next year!