ELPC Proposes Farm-Based Clean Energy Development as Key to Economic Stimulus
Diverse Package of Proposals to Bolster U.S. Economy, Create New Jobs and Protect the Environment
December 15, 2008 Contact: Peter Gray 312-795-3715
Today the Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC), working with other organizations such as the National 25x’25 Alliance Steering Committee, today presented to Congress and the incoming Obama Administration a package of new recommendations that will bolster the U.S. economy, create new jobs and ensure a clean energy future.
ELPC’s recommendations for economic stimulus would accelerate the development of and markets for, wind and solar power, advanced biofuels production, biomass power and geothermal energy by focusing on the Federal Farm Bill’s Energy Title, together with related tax credits and other measures.
For example, ELPC recommends Congress commit $350 million a year in total mandatory funding for the successful and oversubscribed Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Investing in REAP and other programs that are currently underfunded will put people back to work while improving environmental quality.
John Moore, Senior Attorney at ELPC, urged Congress to make strong, farm-based clean energy development programs part of the economic recovery package. “Programs that support clean energy development are in high demand, they create high-paying jobs and they are good for the environment.”
The programs that ELPC recommends for stimulus funding are green job generators and long-term growth creators because they require skilled labor for manufacturing components, construction and operation. For example, REAP drives new investments in wind and solar power, biogas digesters, bioenergy production and energy efficiency. With sufficient support, REAP’s projects can be “shovel ready” very quickly.
ELPC’s recommended farm-based clean energy program package includes:
- Increasing Funding for the Farm Bill Energy Title, especially the very successful and oversubscribed Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). We propose at least $1 billion in stimulus funding annually for several of these programs, including $350 million a year in REAP funding, along with program improvements to drive additional job creation. REAP alone could generate up to 35,000 new jobs.
- Expanding Successful Clean Energy Bonds to finance new renewable energy investments by public power, electric cooperative and towns and cities.
- Extending and Improving Clean Energy Tax Credits to substantially increase renewable energy power production over the next decade.
Stimulus funding for these programs will boost employment for critical national energy infrastructure needs, generate much-needed tax revenue for local communities, restore rural economies and improve the environment.
A complete list of ELPC’s recommendations is available here: https://www.farmenergy.org/documents/ELPC_Stimulus_Proposal_12-15-08.pdf