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A recent national poll found that almost two-thirds of the American public wants Congress to extend federal tax credits that boost production of alternative sources of energy, like wind and solar.
According to the poll, which was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, 64 percent of all respondents said that Congress should extend federal tax credits that encourage production of alternative-energy sources, which are due to expire at year’s end. In a separate question, 64 percent of respondents said they support enactment of a clean-energy standard, which would require the country to produce a higher percentage of its electricity from cleaner sources of energy.
Over the past few years, the Production Tax Credit (PTC) and 48C Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit has encouraged a boom in American-made clean energy manufacturing. But these credits are due to expire at the end of the year, and despite a clear demand for an extension by the public and the Obama administration, their fate ultimately rests in Congress’ hands.
When it comes to extending the tax credits, Obama hopes Congress will acknowledge the great strides clean energy has made in reducing unemployment at a time when few industries are growing. According to industry estimates, the wind industry supports nearly 20,000 direct jobs along with over 30,000 manufacturing jobs in its supply chain. The American solar industry reports similar growth, reaching a total of 100,000 jobs and an annual growth rate of 6.8 percent in 2011. This rate dwarfs the rest of the economy, for which employment increased by a very modest 0.7 percent in 2011.
And although we might expect that public opinion of clean energy would be clearly divided along party lines, as it seems to be in Congress, the poll delivered more nuanced results. Almost half of Republicans said they support extending clean-energy tax credits (48 percent) and enacting a clean-energy standard (47 percent).
On Thursday, President Obama will visit a wind manufacturer in Newton, Iowa, that employs over 700 of the town’s residents, many of whom lots their jobs when Maytag closed its facility there in 2006. During his speech, the President will urge Congress to create secure American jobs and restore middle class security by acting on a very clear “To Do List.” Let’s hope they’re listening.