Groups in Duluth made a plea to Congress Wednesday to renew the wind energy tax credits that are due to expire at the end of the year.
Mayor Don Ness, Environmental Minnesota and Ventera Wind, which makes small wind turbines, all said the wind industry will suffer without the credits, said the Duluth News Tribune.
Said Michelle Hesterberg of Environment Minnesota:
"We can continue on this path of cutting dangerous pollution and saving water if Congress acts now to extend critical wind incentives. Our message to Congress is clear: Don’t let wind power blow off the fiscal cliff."
The paper said production tax credit, first enacted in 1992, offers 2.2 cents per kilowatt hour for wind energy to encourage development of domestic, renewable energy sources.
But with Congress and the president looking far and wide for spending cuts, many feel the subsidy for wind production may not and should not survive.