North American Windpower: AWEA Updates PTC Status In Lame Duck Congress

by NAW Staff on Tuesday 11 December 2012

While the discussions about avoiding the so-called fiscal cliff dominate lame duck Congress, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) says that talks surrounding the expiring production tax credit (PTC) for wind are taking place - in private.

On Dec. 9, President Obama and Speaker of the House John Boehner held a closed-door meeting but did not release the details of their conversation, according to Peter Kelley, AWEA spokesperson.

Currently, the White House has issued a fiscal cliff proposal, which included an extension of the production tax credit (PTC) and other business tax credits, notes Kelley, who adds that Boehner rejected this proposal and countered with another. However, Boehner's proposal did not provide specific details of business tax credit extensions.

According to Kelley, Republican and Democratic legislators will first have to come together to agree on larger issues, such as tax rates and entitlement spending, before focusing on business tax credit extensions.

Kelley cautions that it is possible that legislators will not come to an agreement on a package before a Dec. 21 adjournment. "If that happens, we expect that they would return to session to come to a final agreement and take votes during the last week of December."

"Ultimately," he says, "we expect that the PTC will be extended as part of a fiscal cliff package."

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