Stimulus package promotes renewable energy
Missouri is expected to receive about $10 billion from the package.
Published Feb. 16, 2009
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A wind turbine spins Monday on The Alpaca Company property. Spending to increase renewable energy is included in the $787 billion stimulus bill expected to be signed into law today.
Renewable energy sources and increased energy efficiency are emphasized on a $787 billion stimulus bill, which is set to become law with the president's signature Tuesday.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on Friday with a vote of 246 to 183. President Barack Obama is expected to sign the bill today in Denver.
The bill allocates Missouri $10.33 billion, according to the Center for American Progress, which breaks down the package state-by-state. The bill includes approximately $59 billion in spending and tax cuts for renewable energy initiatives.
More than $30 billion will be provided for updating the nation's power grids.
Glenn Campbell, spokesman for Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-Mo., said Missouri's grids could serve as a model for other states.
"We have a lot of investments made over the years in sound companies," Campbell said. "(The Midwest is) not due to surpass our energy needs for some time."
Campbell said the energy funds constitute an investment in the future if they are used wisely.
"We're hopeful that Missouri, which has a long history of being a cutting edge state for sources of power and manufacturing, can apply some of these monies in ways that can hopefully convince the federal government that Missouri is a sensible investment," Campbell said.
One way to do this, he said, was to invest in energy efficient construction. Carnahan is co-chairman of the High Performance Building Congressional Caucus Coalition and has expressed an interest in building green schools and office buildings.
The stimulus bill provides $5 billion to weatherize modest-income homes and more than $4 billion for increasing energy efficiency in federally supported housing programs.
According to a report by the U.S. Green Building Council released in January, 75 percent of commercial real estate executives say the credit crunch would not discourage them from building green.
The report also stated 70 percent of homeowners are more inclined to buy a green home over a conventional home in a down housing market.
In addition to providing funds for energy efficient construction, the bill includes a three-year extension of the production tax credit for electricity derived for wind, biomass, geothermal, hydropower, landfill gas, waste-to-energy and marine facilities.
Campbell said the allocation of Missouri's energy funds was still open, but there are already some wind energy initiatives happening in the state. Northwest Missouri is an area high in wind resources, according to a U.S. Department of Energy map.
Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., whose district contains this part of the high-speed wind corridor, opposed the stimulus bill along with every other House Republican.
League of Conservation Voters spokesman Josh McNeil said no single solution would solve the nation's energy problems.
"This bill is a significant step on this road, but it's not the end of this road," McNeil said.
Nathan First, Central Missouri regional supervisor for Missouri Renewable Energy, said it would also be necessary to train people such as construction workers and commercial truck drivers to be more environmentally friendly.
First said Proposition C, the renewable energy ballot initiative passed in November, was significant in promoting environmentally friendly programs but not enough to help Missouri compete with other states in green industries.
"I have great hope that Missouri is going to do great things in the next few years," First said.
-- News Editor Andrew Denney contributed to this report.
