Submits statement to House Ways and Means Committee calling for action to avoid uncertainty

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dave Loebsack today joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in calling on the House Ways and Means Committee to include a renewal of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for renewable energy in upcoming tax legislation. As a cosponsor of the American Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit Extension Act of 2011, Loebsack has pushed to end the current uncertainty caused by the approaching expiration of the credit and bring attention to the wind energy industry in Iowa.  He has visited numerous wind industry facilities throughout Iowa that create good jobs in the state and promote economic development.

“The wind industry is creating thousands of jobs across the country, supporting the work of hundreds of wind‐related manufacturing facilities, and offering lease payments to thousands of farmers,” the Congressmen expressed to the Ways and Means Committee leadership. “The uncertainty caused by the looming expiration of the credit is already hampering future industry growth. Given our expanding but still fragile economy, now is not the time to undermine these substantial public and private investments.”

Earlier this year, Loebsack wrote to House Speaker John Boehner calling for action on the renewal of the PTC for wind energy.  A copy of the statement Loebsack and a bipartisan group of his colleagues submitted to the Ways and Means Committee for the hearing today, is below.

April 26, 2012

The Honorable Pat Tiberi

Chairman

U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures

106 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Richard Neal

Ranking Member

U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures

2208 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Tiberi and Ranking Member Neal:

As you evaluate tax provisions that either expired in 2011 or will expire in 2012, we write to highlight our belief that extension of the production tax credit is firmly in the national interest and a vital component of America’s future competitiveness and we urge its inclusion the next available piece of tax legislation.

The wind industry is creating thousands of jobs across the country, supporting the work of hundreds of wind‐related manufacturing facilities, and offering lease payments to thousands of farmers and ranchers. Thirty‐eight states have utility‐scale wind projects, powering more than 12 million homes. Wind energy drives the diversification of our energy supply and strengthens our resilience to energy related challenges, while improving our national energy security. Additionally, the more than 40,000 megawatts of wind power installed through 2010 annually avoids 83.5 million tons of carbon pollution.

The production tax credit, which enjoys broad support across regions and across the political spectrum, has underwritten many of these developments. In fact, there is a strong correlation to industry growth and the existence of the credit. In years following expiration of the credit, for instance, installations dropped between 79‐93%, resulting in major job losses and lost opportunities. The uncertainty caused by the looming expiration of the credit is already hampering future industry growth. Given our expanding but still fragile economy, now is not the time to undermine these substantial public and private investments.

Thank you for your careful consideration of this incentive.

Sincerely,

 Dave Loebsack

Washington, DC – This morning, Thursday April 26^th, 2012, Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) will testify before a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on expiring tax credits about the importance of extending the Adoption Tax Credit and the Production Tax Credit for wind energy.

Braley introduced legislation to extend the Adoption Tax Credit earlier this month.  More information is available at the following link: http://go.usa.gov/yo0

Braley has also pushed hard to pass a long-term extension of the Production Tax Credit for wind energy: http://go.usa.gov/yo8

TODAY, Thursday April 26^th, 2012

Approx.                Braley Testifies Before House Ways and Means Committee

11:20am EDT      Testimony focuses on Adoption Tax Credit and Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit

Longworth House Office Building

Room 1100

Washington, DC

**LIVESTREAM AVAILABLE** The hearing will be live-streamed online at http://waysandmeans.house.gov

Signed Recent Letter Critical of NASA’s ‘Advocacy of an Extreme Position’ on Climate Science

Two Apollo-era astronauts and two prominent former NASA scientists will speak at The Heartland Institute’s Seventh International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC-7), taking place in Chicago on May 21–23. The four men were among 49 signatories to a March 28 letter to NASA and the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) urging the agencies to cease their “unbridled advocacy” of anthropogenic global warming. (Read the letter here.)

Dr. Harrison Schmitt, the first scientist and last man to walk on the moon in the Apollo 17 mission, and Apollo 7 lunar module pilot Walter Cunningham will talk about how NASA’s “unproven and unsupported remarks” on global warming damage the agency’s reputation.

The astronauts will be joined in the discussion by Harold Doiron, who worked for decades on vehicle stability and design at NASA, and Thomas Wysmuller, a meteorologist for the Royal Dutch Weather Bureau in Amsterdam and a long-time employee and consultant for NASA.

Register to attend the conference at this link.

Other confirmed speakers at ICCC-7 include:

Vaclav Klaus, president of the Czech Republic
Alan Carlin, U.S. EPA (retired)
Robert “Bob” Carter, James Cook University (Queensland, Australia)
Roger Helmer, MP, Britain
William “Bill” Gray, Colorado State University (emeritus)
Kenneth Haapala, Science and Environmental Policy Project
Tom Harris, International Climate Science Coalition
S. Fred Singer, University of Virginia (emeritus)
Willie Soon, astrophysicist
Leighton Steward, PlantsNeedCO2.org and CO2IsGreen.org
Brian Sussman, author, Climategate and Eco-Tyranny

Heartland will be joined by dozens of think tank cosponsors and hundreds of scientists who understand the need for a real debate about the causes, consequences, and policy implications of climate change. (See previous press release announcing the event here.)

What: Seventh International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC-7)

Theme: Real Science, Real Choices

Where: Hilton Chicago, 720 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL

When: Monday, May 21 – Wednesday, May 23, 2012, immediately following the NATO Summit also taking place in Chicago, on May 19–21.

Media: Open to all media. Request press credentials here.

The conference will feature several keynote speeches and some 30 panel discussions, each featuring a moderator and two experts debating a particular issue or aspect of the climate change debate. Check out the ICCC-7 page often for regular updates on the conference.

Attendance Information

ICCC-7 is open to the public. Registration is required. More information is available at the conference Web site.

For more information about The Heartland Institute, visit our Web site or contact Jim Lakely at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 312/377-4000.

Get Twitter updates of the conference by following @HeartlandInst and the hashtag #ICCC7.

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Interactive Map Offers Unique Tools to View Iowa’s Technology Landscape, Guide Expansion Efforts

Des Moines – Connect Iowa today unveiled an innovative new broadband mapping tool offering unmatched views of Iowa’s technology landscape.

The mapping tool, called My ConnectView, is a valuable tool for consumers, policy makers, Internet providers, and planning teams working to increase broadband access, adoption, and use in communities across the state and nation.

“My ConnectView is rich in information that will help our state make smart decisions on broadband expansion,” says Connect Iowa Program Manager Amy Kuhlers. “The maps and data layers also offer a powerful tool for economic development that will help inform decisions like where to build out new services and how to create cost-effective business solutions. But it’s a great resource for everyone. Folks at home can use My ConnectView to find which broadband services are available to consumers that they may have been previously been unaware of.”

My ConnectView, developed by Connected Nation, Connect Iowa’s parent organization, replaces the previous mapping tool and is faster and easier to use; features more interactive data layers and additional tools to explore data; and allows users to e-mail, print, and send feedback on custom maps.

By offering unprecedented views of unserved and underserved areas of Iowa, My ConnectView will help drive economic development planning centered around broadband technology expansion efforts in Iowa.

Connect Iowa has just completed its 5th round of broadband data updates to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The data, gathered as part of the State Broadband Initiative program, is used to populate the National Broadband Map. The new maps are online and can be accessed under the learn tab on the Connect Iowa website.

We urge citizens and providers to use the tool to help us verify the information presented and to contact us if they can't get access to broadband. Connect Iowa uses such feedback to ensure the maps are accurate and to reach out to providers and community leaders to promote broadband expansion into unserved and underserved areas of Iowa. For more information, please contact Connect Iowa Program Manager Amy Kuhlers at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 515-421-2561.

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About Connect Iowa: Connect Iowa is a subsidiary of Connected Nation and operates as a nonprofit in the state of Iowa to promote broadband access, adoption, and use. The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) is leading the initiative to increase broadband Internet access throughout rural Iowa. Connect Iowa was commissioned by the state to work with all broadband providers in Iowa to create detailed maps of broadband coverage and develop a statewide plan for the deployment and adoption of broadband. For more information visit: www.connectiowa.org.