On Thursday, December 9th, Congress introduced a bill that will provide a one-year extension of the Treasury Grant Program (TGP). This program enables builders to receive grants for their renewable energy projects. Since its inception, TGP has spurred over 1,000 solar energy projects across the nation, creating numerous jobs for Americans. Rhone Resch, President of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), released a statement saying, "An extension of the program will keep our U.S. industry growing and help achieve the industry's goal of installing enough new solar energy to power 2 million new homes each year by 2015". This vote on this bill is expected to be Monday. (Read more)

Not only will the solar energy industry benefit from the extension; Denis Bode, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) is optimistic. Bode released a statement, "Factories across the country will restart production lines, recall workers, and avoid layoffs that would have followed the loss of this key incentive for wind energy. With consistent policies like this one, wind energy can generate 20 percent of America’s electricity within 20 years, and employ half a million Americans."

Check out the Environmental Law and Policy Center and Vote Solar to learn more about this bill. If you would like to support this bill, it is important to contact your legislators today!

To learn who your legislators are click here.