The Governors' Wind Energy Coalition is urging President Obama to take the next steps to help states realize their wind energy potential.
In a letter sent to Obama, Govs. Dennis Daugaard, R-S.D., and Jay Inslee, D-Wash., urged Obama to take immediate action to help the states harness the full potential of their wind energy resources.
‘We write to you again today to suggest actions that your administration can take to expand the nation's wind energy production and improve the resilience of our energy system.’ Those actions include the following:
Support prompt Congressional passage of a multiyear extension of the renewable energy production and investment tax credits. These incentives made possible the growth of the American wind industry and clean energy jobs, with substantial economic return to the states and the nation. "Policy uncertainty continues to hamperâ�¦" further development of the nation's wind resources, the governors wrote. Congressional action early in the next session is critically important to ‘spurâ�¦substantial economic development.’
Support the governors' efforts to expand national transmission development both offshore and onshore. The governors point out that ‘[t]oday's transmission system is inadequate for the electrical demands of the states' modern information-based economies. Revitalization of the electrical transmission system must be accomplished on a multi-state basis with leadership from both you and the governorsâ�¦ The call for transmission action today is as important to our states' economic development as the nation's interstate highway system was 58 years ago when President Eisenhower acted with the governors' supportâ�¦’
Encourage prompt review of transmission applications under Section 1222 (b) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The governors shared with the President a letter they sent to Secretary Moniz urging prompt review of transmission applications under Section 1222(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. "By using Section 1222(b) authority to approve eligible projects, policymakers can also send an important signal to the marketplace that the United States can successfully site and build innovative and major new high-voltage direct current transmission projects," the governors wrote.
Publicize and support the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) 2014 Wind Vision Report. The DOE is expected to soon release an update to its earlier wind assessment report. Because the report will guide critical, ongoing discussions in the energy policy community, the governors ask the president to ‘broadly communicate its findings’ to the nation.
