Reps. Moolenaar, Walker, Nofs, Sak, Booher, Vander Veen, Cheeks, Accavitti, Ball, Bieda, Byrnes, Byrum, Caul, Cushingberry, Gillard, Gleason, Gonzales, Gosselin, Green, Hildenbrand, Hoogendyk, Hopgood, Jones, Kahn, Kolb, Kathleen Law, Lemmons, Jr., Mayes, McDowell, Meyer, Palmer, Pastor, Pearce, Plakas, Proos, Rocca, Shaffer, Sheltrown, Alma Smith, Stahl, Stakoe, Tobocman, Zelenko, Clack, Lipsey and Murphy offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 307.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to extend the production tax credit for wind power energy development.

            Whereas, Energy is our economic lifeblood. Indeed, with energy prices soaring to new and never seen heights in our country this is more apparent now than ever. In an effort to foster the development of alternative energy sources for the future, a production tax credit for wind power energy development was established in 1992. The success of this program is evident in the significant progress that has been made in the development of clean sources of power for our country in the years since that time; and

Whereas, The long-term effectiveness of the production tax credit for wind energy development has been impeded by the fact that this important program faces sunset provisions every two years. Although the sunset is a productive oversight tool to ensure sound spending policies, an extended effort like developing viable wind energy technologies requires enormous capital expenses and long-term commitment. The requirement for renewal every two years has proven to be counterproductive, as demonstrated by the fact that during most two-year cycles, the amount of  power added by wind energy investment drops considerably in the second year as developers worry if the tax credit will be renewed after its sunset expiration; and

Whereas, The production tax credit would be far more effective if it could be extended farther beyond a two-year period. Like most other tax credits the government creates to encourage beneficial behaviors, the production tax credit is designed to foster an emerging and capital-intensive industry that may one day be a key part of America's overall energy needs. Clearly, wind energy technology will see many more significant advances with a consistent, multiple-year tax approach; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to extend the production tax credit for wind power energy development beyond the two-year cycle under which it now operates: and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this document be presented to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.