Accordingto an Illinois State University report released this month, wind farms in thestate will add $5.8 billion to the Illinois economy over the life of theprojects. However, much of this economic resurgence is threatened byCongressional inaction over renewal of the wind energy tax credit which expiresat the end of this year. ISU’s Center for Renewable Energy Director DavidLoomis says in the study report that Illinois wind farms have created 19,047construction jobs here, plus 814 long term jobs in maintaining and operatingthe huge windmills. Landowners with turbines on their property earn $13 millioneach year from lease payments, and the wind generators pay $28.5 million peryear in property taxes to local governments.
Loomispoints out that wind farm construction is now at a standstill because of thethreatened tax credit expiration. Sierra Club Illinois Chapter President JackDarin says that renewal of the tax credit “is critical for the health of ourenvironment.” Illinois’ wind farms already produce enough electricity to power nearly200,000 homes per year. Great Plains Laborers District council LegislativeAffairs Director Mike Matejka points out that “Wind jobs are very, veryimportant as we bridge the recession.”
Withall this economic activity at stake, it seems odd that nobody in Washington,D.C. is interested in passing a simple bill extending the tax credit before itis too late to prevent major hits to the wind industry here.
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