Contents

1. Summary 
2. Tax Credits 
3. Setting an Important Precedent
4. Renewable Electricity Standards
5. No New Coal in Kansas

Summary

In addition to urging Congress to extend critical tax credits for energy efficiency and renewable energy, UCS activists helped support renewable energy standards in several states, requiring utilities to provide a growing percentage of power from renewable sources like the sun and wind. Our supporters also helped promote the nation’s first-of-its-kind offshore wind farm and sent a message to the Kansas legislature that coal is not the answer.

Tax Credits

Key federal tax credits for energy efficiency and renewable energy are under threat of expiration this year—some have already expired. Energy efficiency tax credits are available to those who buy efficient appliances and homes and make energy efficiency upgrades to their homes. The solar investment tax credit gives individuals and companies a tax credit based on their purchases of solar panels or solar water heaters. And the renewable energy production tax credit gives generators of wind, geothermal, or biomass energy a tax credit for the clean, renewable energy they produce. Without a prompt extension, thousands of jobs will be lost, billions of dollars not invested, and an opportunity missed to create green jobs, generate clean energy from renewable resources, enhance energy security, and reduce global warming.

UCS is collaborating with a large, diverse coalition of businesses and environmental groups who share a fervent interest in extending the tax credits. Efforts across the country has bolstered our efforts in Washington. In January and March, hundreds of UCS activists, whose senators were key votes, called their senators, urging them to support extending the tax credits. We’ll continue to work with our supporters and coalition partners to promote this critical legislation in the media and on Capitol Hill. 

Setting an Important Precedent

In April, more than 13,000 UCS activists submitted comments in support of the federal government’s overwhelmingly positive environmental impact assessment of Cape Wind. Located miles off the shores of Nantucket Island, Cape Wind would set an important precedent as the country’s first offshore wind farm. The project would generate three-quarters of Cape Cod’s energy needs, and significantly reduce the region’s global warming pollution. The Minerals Management Service’s draft environmental impact assessment examined 27 categories of potential effects of the Cape Wind proposal. Our review of the report found no showstoppers—the vast majority of the project's environmental effects will be minor, negligible, or even positive, and there will likely be no significant lasting negative impact. UCS added to the thousands of comments from UCS supporters by submitting our own comments. We also presented our own testimony at the hearings, which were attended by numerous local activists. The final Environmental Impact Statement is expected later this year.

Renewable Electricity Standards

UCS has been collaborating with our allies in Ohio, Michigan, and Missouri in their efforts to renew their economies, create jobs, and clean up their energy supplies by adopting renewable electricity standards. Thanks to effective collaboration and tireless campaigns, Ohio just became the 26th state to require their utilities to provide an increasing proportion of their energy from the sun, wind, energy crops, and other clean, renewable sources. Michigan may soon follow.

UCS analyst Jeff Deyette has been providing expert review of draft renewable electricity standard bills in both states. In Ohio, he testified before the Public Utilities Committee in late February. On March 3, UCS activists in Ohio House Speaker Jon Husted's district emailed him to thank him for introducing a bill that requires 12.5 percent of Ohio's energy to come from renewable sources by 2025 and a 22 percent reduction in the state's energy use by 2025. The activists also urged him to get the bill passed through the state senate. On April 15, Deyette participated in a press briefing on the standard. Thanks to these efforts and a strong coalition of supporters in Ohio, on May 1, Governor Ted Strickland signed an energy package containing the energy standards introduced by Speaker Husted.

In Michigan, UCS and our allies are working to pass a 10 percent renewable energy standard as well as to bolster the state’s programs for energy efficiency. In addition to providing technical review of the bill drafts, UCS is augmenting the coalition effort by engaging the agricultural community on the need for a renewable electricity standard and working to get farm leaders and their support for renewable energy covered by the media. On April 17, the Michigan House of Representatives passed a package of energy bills, including energy efficiency legislation and the renewable electricity standard. UCS will work with our allies, experts, and activists to get the state senate to improve upon the bill, get it passed by the legislature, and signed by Governor Jennifer Granholm.

The Missouri legislature refused to pass the kind of renewable electricity standard already enacted by 26 states, so renewable energy advocates launched an initiated ballot measure campaign to put a standard on the ballot and let voters themselves decide. In early April, more than 60 UCS activists in Missouri volunteered to help collect signatures to get renewable energy on the ballot this fall. By the May 4 deadline, the campaign had far exceeded their signature-gathering goal of 150,000—more than 170,000 Missouri voters indicated their support for putting the renewable energy measure on the ballot. With such success, campaign organizers expect to have enough validated signatures to get a place on the ballot, giving Missouri voters the chance to approve a 15 percent by 2020 renewable energy standard come November.

No New Coal in Kansas

In Kansas, UCS activists have been helping to oppose the building of two coal-fired power plants that would emit 10 million tons of global warming pollution every year for decades. After the plants’ permit applications were denied, coal advocates introduced a bill that would allow the plants to be built anyway. With their calls and emails, UCS activists supported Governor Kathleen Sibelius’ veto of that bill, and urged allies in the legislature to stand strong in their defense of Kansas against the threat posed by more coal. Despite the coal industry spending over $800,000, when the legislature passed a second override bill, Governor Sibelius vetoed it as well. Now the legislature has rolled language about the coal plant into an economic stimulus bill sent to the governor on May 8 as the legislature adjourned for the session. Should the governor choose to veto this third attempt, the legislature will have one final chance to muster enough votes for an override in their formal closing session on May 29.