Last week, wind energy became Iowa’s largest single source of electricity and CEO of the American Wind Energy Association, Tom Kiernan, said this milestone is in large part thanks to the “father” of the wind energy production tax, U.S. Senator, Chuck Grassley. “Forward-thinking initiatives from Senator Grassley and other local leaders have allowed the Hawkeye state to harness the economic and clean air benefits of wind energy. This bipartisan policy leadership supporting wind power is an example of success for the rest of the country,” Kiernan added. Grassley authored the Wind Energy Incentives Act of 1993, bringing about the first-ever wind energy production tax credit. And, as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee in 2003, he spearheaded the effort to include an environmentally responsible energy package. This brought nearly $15.5 billion in federal tax incentives to grow America’s renewable energy sector. “The proof is in the pudding,” Grassley said. “Harnessing wind power to generate more than 40 percent of the state’s electricity is a big milestone. Wind is a critical part of our nation’s all-of-the-above energy strategy.” According to Grassley, it creates thousands of jobs while supporting economic development. It also boosts tax receipts, attracts investment and puts extra money in farmers’ pockets. And it does all this while providing an affordable, ecologically-responsible energy option for customers.
