The American Wind Energy Association said that a coalition of 24 governors from both major parties and each region of the country has asked the Obama administration to take a series of steps to provide a more favorable business climate for the development of wind energy, starting with a seven year extension of the production tax credit and the investment tax credit.
The Governors' Wind Energy Coalition has since made public a letter from the governors sent last month to the White House. Signed by coalition chairman governor Mr Lincoln Chafee and VC governor Mr Terry Branstad, the letter said that "Although tax credits for wind energy have long enjoyed bipartisan support, they are scheduled to expire next year. Wind related manufacturing will slow if the credits are not extended, and some of the tax credits' benefit will be lost if Congress pursues a last minute extension. It is important to have consistency in policy to support the continued development of wind manufacturing in the United States."
The governors' letter also calls for the following:
1. Establishing a combined intergovernmental state federal task force on wind energy development
2. Expanding the US Department of Energy's renewable energy programs in order to focus on technology research and innovation
3. Improving collaboration on the siting of new wind turbines
4. Expediting deployment of offshore wind
5. Identifying transmission and grid integration priorities for power marketing administrations such as the Bonneville Power Administration
