By JOHN ANASTASI
Bucks County Courier Time
Bucks County
Congressman Patrick Murphy, D-8, tried to light a fire Tuesday under
the U.S. Senate by calling for quick passage of a bill providing $18
billion in green energy-related tax incentives over 10 years.
“We need the Senate to act with urgency,” said
Murphy, who added that he hopes the Senate would take on the bill
within the next few weeks.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the
Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008 earlier this month. It
extends numerous tax credits, including those for companies that
produce renewable energy, invest in solar power and create
cleaner-burning coal facilities.
The bill also establishes a new credit for
individuals who use qualified plug-in electric vehicles. According to a
summary of the bill, the measure would extend a number of
non-environmental tax provisions as well.
To cover the cost, the summary said, the bill
would close a tax loophole allowing individuals working for certain
offshore corporations to defer tax on their compensation and delay
implementation of a specific tax benefit for multinational corporations
operating overseas.
“[The legislation] will create green-energy
jobs if it is passed into law,” Murphy said during a press conference
at Falls' Keystone Industrial Port Complex. “It is what we need to
revive a local economy that was hurt by the loss of manufacturing jobs
that made this area strong in the past.”
Murphy chose the complex, the former home to
U.S. Steel's Fairless operation, because the site has become a hub for
green-energy jobs in recent years, thanks to companies like Spanish
wind turbine maker Gamesa and AE Polysilicon Corp., which manufactures
polysilicon used in solar cell production.
“This
will encourage more companies to join Gamesa and AE Polysilicon to come
here and it will reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” the congressman
said.
The legislation and the incentives it would
provide are “critical,” according to a clean air advocate with
PennEnvironment, a statewide environmental advocacy organization.
“The more power we're producing from the wind
turbines ... the less we're relying on the coal-fired power plants that
are a big part of the global warming problem,” said PennEnvironment's
Nathan Willcox.
Mike Russo, who represents United Steelworkers
Local 4889 at Gamesa, called the bill a “win-win” for the environment,
local employment and the economy.
“We've seen spikes [in gas prices] before, but
they've always subsided,” he said. “This time is different. I think
we've had it and there's no end in sight. We have to do something. And
[the union] is always trying to create jobs.”
If passed, this bill could do both, he said.
Murphy represents the residents of Bucks
County, some districts of Abington, Upper Dublin and Upper Moreland in
Montgomery County and two wards in Philadelphia.
