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Sierra Club Grassroots Email Express
June 5, 2006
Volume 4 No. 7
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PROTECT SOLAR TAX CREDITS

Support Securing America's Energy Independence Act, S. 2677 and H.R. 5206 

THE ISSUE

The U.S. House and Senate have introduced identical bills to extend the federal solar investment tax credits created in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 for an additional eight years: through 2015. We are asking you to contact your congressman to support this legislation.

The title of the legislation is the Securing America's Energy Independence Act, S. 2677 and H.R. 5206. The extension would provide the solar incentives for a meaningful period of time to help advance solar energy technologies. This extension would be an important step in leading the nation toward an appropriate and supportable energy path.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

1. SEIA and Renewable Energy Access have set up an easy-to-use webpage that will let you contact your Senators and Congressman. Click on the link below to ask your Senators and Representatives to cosponsor this legislation, or copy and paste the link into your browser.

http://capwiz.com/re-action/issues/alert/?alertid=8722721.

Please make sure to personalize the letter by adding a paragraph, near the beginning of the letter, about your company and how these tax credits will increase jobs.

2. Telephone the local offices of your members of Congress. You can find contact information for them at www.vote-smart.org

3.  Use the information below as a template and email or fax a letter to your Representative and Senators.

KEY POINTS YOU CAN INCLUDE IN YOUR EMAIL or LETTER

Background:

·         The Energy Policy Act of 2005 created a 30% investment tax credit for residential solar energy technologies and increased the commercial solar ITC to 30%. Both of these changes are currently set to expire at the end of 2007.

·         The Securing America's Energy Independence Act will remedy this situation by extending both the commercial and residential tax credits through 2015. The bill also makes two changes to the solar credits to enhance their effectiveness, capping the residential credit at $2,000 per kilowatt (as opposed to a flat $2,000 cap), and adding an exemption which allows consumers to take the credits against the alternative minimum tax (AMT). The bill also extends the fuel cell tax credits through 2015.

Primary themes:

·         The nation needs a bold, dynamic and sustainable energy policy, a policy that supports and encourages the development and commercialization of sustainable energy sources like solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and renewable hydrogen in the near to mid-terms. It must also be a policy that supports reducing the demand for electricity, heating and cooling energy and liquid fuels.

·         Congress should continue policies that accelerate our nation's transition to renewable energy. The Securing America's Energy Independence Act is an important step in leading the nation toward an appropriate and supportable energy path. 

·         PLEASE personalize your letter and share why this issue is important to you.

For more information contact the Chapter Office at 761-5616 or by email at maine.chapter@sierraclub.org.