Slattery Urges Roberts to Support Renewable Energy Bill

Press Release

Slattery Urges Roberts to Support Renewable Energy Bill

Tax credits vital to wind energy in Kansas

Jim Slattery, candidate for the United States Senate, today urged Sen. Pat Roberts to vote in favor of the extensions of the alternative energy investment and production tax credits.

"Sen. Roberts has voted against extending the tax credits for renewable energy four times this year," Slattery said, "but he has the opportunity to do the right thing and vote for the extensions when it is reconsidered again this week."

The bi-partisan bill will extend crucial tax incentives for investing renewable energy projects. Slattery said the tax credits would encourage investment in renewable energy, which will in turn reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create good-paying jobs.

"America is more dependent on foreign oil than at anytime in our nation's history, and with Kansans paying record prices for a gallon for gasoline, we must do all that we can to promote energy independence."

The tax credits are of particular importance to the stability of the wind energy industry in Kansas.

"Wind energy is booming in Kansas, in fact by the end of this year we will be generating almost three times as much wind energy as the same time last year," Slattery said. "But if the production tax credits are allowed to expire, investment will dry up and development will stall."

Slattery went on to say that hampering efforts to expand the state's wind energy capacity could cause electricity prices to increase even further than they already have.

"The passage of this bill will ensure that wind energy production stays on track here in Kansas to keep energy prices down and reduce our dependence on foreign oil," Slattery said. "If Pat Roberts can't support that, he just isn't doing his job for Kansas."

On the campaign trail, Roberts has claimed to support the tax credits.

"Pat Roberts has been telling Kansans that he supports the production tax credits, despite the fact that he has voted repeatedly against them," Slattery said. "Either Pat really does support renewable energy tax credits, in which case I would urge him to vote in favor of them this time, or he's misleading the people of Kansas."

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