Protect Our Clean Energy Tax Credits

What's happening?

Background:

By one vote at 4 am on May 22nd, the House passed a $3.3 trillion Reconciliation budget bill (H.R. 1) that will extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts. H.R.1 includes $1.5 T in cuts to funded programs like the Clean Energy Tax Credits! These credits aid development of large scale projects like solar, wind, battery storage, and advanced manufacturing, creating jobs, lowering energy, pollution, and health costs, and raising GDP by $1.9 T in 10 years.

Our next leverage point is the Senate. The Senate Finance Committee made some improvements to the House bill, with longer phaseouts for the tax credits for nuclear, geothermal, hydropower, and batteries, as well as some other positive changes. On the other hand, the Senates's version of the Reconciliation Bill still decimates large scale solar and wind.

There will be additional times when we will ask you to stand up for the credits, as the Senate and House versions are reconciled and voted on.

Talking points are in the CCLUSA.org/take-action tool or Benefits of Clean Energy Tax Credits for Montana below.

Please choose one or two of these actions to do in the next 3 weeks!

• Email Congress using our quick online tool: CCLUSA.org/take-action
• Join CCL and sign up for text alerts
• Write a Letter to the editor Contact Bozeman@citizensclimatelobby.org to coordinate!
• Uplift CCL Social Media: Like, comment, and share new posts on defending the Clean Energy Tax Credits on CCL MT on IG, X, FB, LInkedIN, and Blue Sky.

Request that Senators Daines and Sheehy ask Senate leadership to better protect the Clean Energy Tax Credits, especially for large scale solar and wind projects scheduled for accelerated phaseouts in the House version. Natural gas plants' turbines are backlogged and can't be built in time to meet a 16% increase in demand by 2030! We need to encourage an all of the above strategy. [or choose one of the talking points below]

For more information, see the CCL Blogs or join CCL for access to extensive trainings and forums.

Use these email or calling tools below to find scripts, contact our Congressmen, and record that you did it!

Clean Energy Tax Credits are important for Montana because:

- If the tax credits for clean electricity production (45Y) and investment (48E) are repealed, it will affect 14 projects across Montana including 7 wind projects, 2 Northwestern hydropower upgrades, solar, and a battery storage project that are already underway or built, and 35 projects companies announced they are planning to build!

- These 14 Montana projects are major investments in domestic energy production and infrastructure which take years to develop. Cutting funding now would waste taxpayer money that has already been spent.

- In Montana, repeal of clean energy tax credits could disrupt over 3000 jobs and $2.2 billion dollars in private investment in rural counties, and jeopardize another 35 projects worth $3.5 billion that companies announced. (Clean Investment Monitor)

- We need all the energy we can get to provide affordable energy for American families, cover increased demand, and to be energy dominant. Repealing these cost-effective incentives doesn’t make sense.

- Natural Gas turbines and components are backlogged from 1 to up to 7 years, and simply can't be built in time to meet a 16% increase in demand expected by 2030, according to Forbes. Only solar + batteries can meet that demand in time! They can be built in 15 to 18 months.

- Households relying on Northwestern Energy are already facing massive price hikes of 25.8% (if the Public Service Commission approves) largely due to volatile fuel and high construction costs.

- The Energy Information Agency anticipates natural gas prices will be 91% higher in 2026 as we export more. Meanwhile, solar + batteries have no fuel costs and lower operation and maintenance costs.

- Clean Energy Tax credits provide a 4 to 1 return on investment: A report from the American Clean Power Association, endorsed by the US Chamber of Commerce, showed that the “IRA will spur $3.8 trillion in net spending across the U.S. economy, creating a 4x return on taxpayer investment when considering both economic and emissions benefits."

- Just think what other possible projects won’t be built in Montana in the next 7 years if these and other clean electricity credits are repealed: it will close the door on leveraging $3.4 Billion in private investment for solar, wind, and battery storage, as well as fuel cell, geothermal, small wind, energy storage, biogas, microgrid controllers, combined heat and power properties, nuclear (45U),Carbon Capture (45Q), and hydrogen (45V). ICF IRA+ MT Benefits 2025-35

- Advanced Manufacturing: Sibanye-Stillwater mining company has expressed interest in credits for investment and production of advanced manufacturing (Sections 45X and 48C) for domestic critical minerals, waste reduction, and energy efficiency.

- 38 House Republicans members support these credits! 21 members noted in their letter “that current and future private sector investments which will continue to increase domestic manufacturing, promote energy innovation, and keep utility costs down.” Another letter, signed by 28 Republicans in the House, expressed similar support.

- 4 Senate Republicans support the clean energy tax credits!

- Affordable energy for families: Keeping the tax credits could save Montana families $150 a year on their electricity bills by 2035 (report from the American Clean Power Association )

- Skyrocketing energy demand requires ALL of the above new energy production or we “risk sparking an energy crisis in our country, resulting in drastically higher power bills for American families.” From the letter from 21 House Republicans.

- Businesses need predictable investment environment: the letter from 21 House Republicans said: "Countless American companies are utilizing sector-wide energy tax credits – many of which have enjoyed broad support in Congress – to make major investments in domesticenergy production and infrastructure for traditional and renewable energy sources alike. Both our constituencies and the energy industry alike remain concerned about disruptive changes to our nation’s energy tax structure.

Many credits were enacted over the course of a ten-year period, which allowed energy developers to plan with these tax incentives in mind. These timelines have been relied upon when it comes to capital allocation, planning, and project commitments, all of which would be jeopardized by premature credit phase outs or additional restrictive mechanisms such as limiting transferability."

- Clean Energy tax credits support energy innovation: The report from the American Clean Power Association modeled that a hydrogen plant could bring in $1 Billion in private investment! One company proposed using Butte’s Berkley pit water to make hydrogen several years ago.

- Jobs: According to the Rhodium Clean Investment Monitor from the Rhodium Group, the clean energy and transportation tax credits could support 52,000 direct and non-direct jobs in Montana over 10 years!

- Clean energy projects have already created thousands of well-paying jobs, from construction and manufacturing to engineering and technology.

- Tax revenues from these projects support schools, roads, and other infrastructure.

Clean energy investment is estimated to add $8 billion to Montana’s economy in the next decade.

- National Security: These tax credits promote homegrown American energy which buffers us from volatile global markets.