House Approves Tax Incentives for Renewable Energy

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed a $120-billion package extending dozens of existing tax incentives, including $17 billion in renewable energy tax breaks.

The extended tax credits apply to solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources. The measure, which would extend federal tax credits to 2016 for commercial and residential solar energy installations, would eliminate an existing restriction that caps the solar energy credit at $2,000 per year.

The measure also would provide a one-year extension of wind energy production tax credits through December 31, 2009. It also would create a new investment tax credit for purchases of small wind systems used to power homes, farms, and small businesses. The legislation also  would provide tax credits for other renewable sources such as geothermal and biomass electricity, as well as credits for coal-fired power plants that develop systems for capturing and storing their carbon dioxide emissions.

The renewable tax credit extensions must be signed by the President. White House officials say the President opposes many of the offsets used in the legislation, but would sign the Senate's version of the bill if it reaches his desk.

Contact Deidra Ciriello.

Western States, Provinces Release Climate Plan

A group of seven Western states and four Canadian provinces on Tuesday released a plan for a comprehensive, multi-sector carbon cap-and-trade program.

The Western Climate Initiative's (WCI’s) document recommends design principles for a regional market that would be the centerpiece of the group's effort to reduce emissions linked to global warming to 15% below 2005 levels by 2020.

Initially, the program would cover only the electricity sector and large industrial sources of greenhouse gases. When later expanded to include transportation fuels and heating fuels, the program would cover nearly 90 percent of the greenhouse gases emitted in the region.

WCI's design recommendations for a cap-and-trade program are similar to a draft document the group released in July, although this version revised the suggestions for uses of offsets. Specifically, WCI partners backed away from an earlier recommendation that would have allowed a greater use of offset credits to meet emissions caps.

The latest version gives partners the freedom to establish individual offset policies, but requires that the offsets be no greater than 49 percent of the total emissions reductions needed. Under the plan, mandatory reporting of emissions would begin in 2011.

Formed in 2007, the Western Climate Initiative includes Arizona, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, and Ontario.

WCI's recommendations now must be vetted by each of the partners' governments, which may or may not embrace them. Of the partners, California is the closest to adopting a cap-and-trade program.

Contact Deidra Ciriello.

House Approves Federal Government Funding Measure  

The U.S. House of Representatives this week passed the legislation that would provide full FY 2009 appropriations for the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security, Defense, and Veteran Affairs, as well as the the military construction program. 

The House also provided continuing appropriations, until March 6  for all other federal agencies.   
The U.S. Senate vote was scheduled for today, but was set aside because of the attention on the nation’s banking crisis.  The Senate will work through Saturday on  the Continuing Resolution; another economic stimulus package; and, of course, a measure to address the banking situation.

The Senate Defense authorization bill, which has not garnered much attention, contains statutory language that requires the Secretary of Defense to incorporate principles of sustainable design and life-cycle cost-effective practices as an element in all military construction projects submitted to Congress for approval. 

Projects submitted by all the military service branches will have to take into account these criteria.  These provisions, if enacted, would be highly advantageous to all NACA members. 

Contact John Sullivan, David Hubbard, or Bill Plenge.

Congress Passes Extension for Federal Aviation Programs

On Tuesday, Congress sent to the President legislation that would extend  for six months the expenditure authority and revenue generation of the Federal Aviation Administration. 

More specifically, the legislation extends the expenditure authority of the Airport and Airways Trust fund, the taxes that support it, and the contract authority of the Aviation Improvement Program (AIP). The AIP will receive $1.95 billion in contract authority through March 31, 2009. 

Contact John Sullivan, David Hubbard, or Gary Mitchell.

Legislation to Fund Amtrak Stalls in Senate

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed legislation that would aid Amtrak in its quest to become financially solvent. 

The legislation also would provide, among other things, authority for private companies to bid on construction and operation of high-speed rail service. 

Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) objected to the Senate expediting this legislation citing, among other objections,  the “mother of all earmarks,” some $1.5 billion for the Washington, D.C. Metro system.  The objection means passage of this legislation by the Senate is doubtful, given the other high priority legislation the Senate must pass before the end of this fiscal year, which ends Tuesday.

Contact John Sullivan or David Hubbard.

There is a possibility  the Senate package may be attached to the  legislation aimed at keeping federal funding flowing.  Plans for how to move the House bill are unknown at this time.

Contact John Sullivan or David Hubbard.

Environmental Agency Releases National Trends Report

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released the "2008 Report on the Environment: Highlights of National Trends" (2008 ROE HD), which provides an important resource for better understanding health and environmental trends in the United States.

The report is intended for a general audience and summarizes highlights of the more comprehensive document, "EPA's 2008 Report on the Environment" (ROE), which was released in May.  That document provided  more detailed scientific and technical information.  

Together, the two reports present national environmental trends and inform of EPA's strategic planning process with the best available, scientifically sound information.

EPA also launched a new web site that allows the user to search the full technical report for specific trends in air, water, and land.  Click here to view the 2008 ROE HD, ROE and searchable eROE.

Contact Deidra Ciriello.

Senate Leaders, Industry Voice Opposition to Card Check

At a press conference Tuesday on Capitol Hill, ready mixed concrete industry executives joined Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senators John Ensign (R-Nev.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) to express opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act (Card Check), or H.R. 800.  

The bill would  amends the National Labor Relations Act by changing the way labor union elections are held.  The bill would allow labor organizations to hold elections without giving their employees the privacy of secret-ballot elections. 

In prepared remarks, Frank Craddock, senior vice president of CEMEX, explained the ready mixed concrete industry’s position on Card Check.

“This legislation puts the ready mixed concrete industry in jeopardy because it would strip our workers, as well as 140 million workers in other industries, of their right to privately decide on unionization,” he said. “Our industry maintains that if employees wish to unionize, they should be afforded the right to a private ballot election – in a civilized voting process supervised by the federal government. The Employee Free Choice Act would deprive American workers of a fundamental democratic right.”

The Employee Free Choice Act would replace the private ballot with a biased and inferior process called “Card Check,” which allows a union to organize if a majority of workers simply sign a card. 

With the Card Check system, workers’ votes are made public to the employer, union organizers,  and co-workers.  Currently, the National Labor Relations Act requires employees to determine generally whether they want a union through a private ballot election.   That action must be supervised and conducted by the National Labor Relations Board.  

Some 87% of U.S. voters agree that “every worker should continue to have the right to a federally supervised secret ballot election when deciding whether to organize a union.”

The bill was passed by the House last year, but did not garner enough support for final passage in the Senate. Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, was said to be unable to attend the press conference.  Still, he  has stated he is determined to block this legislation when it is reintroduced in the 111th Congress next year.

Contact Kerri Leininger.

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