Senate Finance Committee Hearing summary

Ladies & Gentlemen:

Below is a summary of a hearing conducted on March 29, 2007, by the US Senate Finance Committee. This summary should show you:

1. How friendly the Senate Finance Committee leaders (Baucus-D; Grassley-R) is to the wind and other renewable energy industries.

2. How intent the renewable (particularly wind) industries are on getting the Production Tax Credit extended for a long period (5 years or more). NOTE THAT THE PTC IS NOW UP TO $0.02 PER KWH. Extension of the Wind PTC and further expansion of state Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) or adoption of a national RPS (Which Senator Bingaman fully intends to achieve) will make it increasingly difficult for you to protect yourselves against the spread of "wind farms."

Therefore, you may want to think seriously about letting your Senators and Representative in Washington know you views on the wind PTC and on RPS. If you decide to do so, I suggest that you consider contacting both the Members' offices in Washington AND their local offices which they typically have established around their respective states or districts.

There is no assurance that your communications will make any difference. It has become increasingly clear that the folks in Washington don't really care about the needs, wishes and option of ordinary citizens, consumers and taxpayers and that their full allegiance is to themselves, first, and to big money contributors second. Nevertheless, expressing your views either directly to them -- or via letters to editors, etc. -- is one of the few alternatives available.

If you are inclined to contact them, consider, fax, telephone calls, emails and letters. Please don't expect a meaningful written response. Remember that few in Washington REALLY understand what is important in the REAL world outside Washington. However, many communications could at least begin to have an impact.

Glenn Schleede