Green Power Switch News
Vol. 3, No. 2— Spring 2003

Renewable Energy Legislation Introduced

On February 27, 2003, Harry Reid, D-Nev., introduced bipartisan legislation with Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., to boost renewable energy production.

The bill would expand the existing production tax credit that covers wind, poultry waste and closed-loop biomass to include geothermal, incremental geothermal, solar, open-loop biomass, incremental hydropower, animal waste and landfill gas. The production tax credit for renewable energy that is available for power generators would be raised from 1.5 to 1.8 cents per kilowatt-hour, and the credit would be made permanent.

Because of TVA’s status as a federal agency, TVA is not eligible for the tax credit. However, the bill could lower the cost of future renewable resources provided to TVA by private developers.

“A permanent tax credit would serve as an incentive for lenders and others to make long-term investments in renewable energy development and production,” said Sen. Reid. For more information, visit http://reid.senate.gov.

Mark Your Calendar Earth Day: Tuesday, April 22 April 5, 12, 19 and 26: Huntsville, Ala. Burritt on the Mountain is hosting various Earth Day events every Saturday in April. For more information, contact Jeff Hughes at (256) 512-0146 or go to www.burrittmuseum.com. April 19: Nashville, Tenn. Nashville’s Earth Day Festival 2003 will be held at Centennial Park from noon to 7 p.m. For more information contact Michael Hughes at (615) 321-4069, e-mail Michael at michael@cumberlandtransit.com or visit the official Web site at http://www.nashville.gov/ recycle/earthday/. April 26: Knoxville, Tenn. KUB will host a green power information booth at this year’s Knoxville EarthFest 2003 activities at Concord Park. The festival will last from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call John Homa at (865) 215-2921, e-mail him at JHoma@ci.knoxville.tn.us, or log on to www.knoxearthfest.org to find out more. April 27: Gatlinburg, Tenn. Gatlinburg’s Earth Day Celebration will be held at Mynatt Park. For more information contact Nancy Knipp-Yogini by calling (865) 436-0363 or e-mailing her at yoga@xenonmedia.net. May 15-16: Chattanooga, Tenn. The Read House will host a Public Interest Environmental Symposium 2003, “Sustaining Air and Water Resources.” For more information call John Tucker at (423) 425-2316 or e-mail him at John-Tucker@utc.edu.

 

In this issue

Ranking Among the Top 10 for a Second Straight Year Also: The Greener Cleaner

Green Power Switch Expands Also: Mississippi State Goes Solar

Renewable Energy Legislation Introduced

Updates: Generation and participation figures

E-mail Notification
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Take the Sermon Challenge
Tennessee Interfaith Power and Light challenges your congregation to participate in an Earth Day service with a sermon focused on God’s creation and our responsibility to preserve it. Your congregation can participate by putting together a leafless paper tree, and after the sermon, the congregation can show their commitment to stewardship by “leafing the tree.” For more information, go to www.cleanenergy.org/
greenpower/tipl.html