Kansas Governor Sam Brownback is continuing his push for an extension of a federal wind energy tax credit.
The credit helps make wind power more affordable – but it's set to expire at the end of the year. The governor says the credit has driven the development of wind power in the state.
Brownback also says the credit has helped create wind energy jobs.
“I think to just all of the sudden drop from 30 percent to zero in one you get basically what you’re seeing right now—a rush to get turbines spinning by December 31st midnight and virtually nothing new the next year,” says Brownback.
Some critics of the tax credit have called it wasteful spending. They say it should be phased out and the wind energy industry should have to stand up on its own.
In September, the company Siemens announced layoffs at its wind turbine plant in Hutchinson. One of the reasons they cited was uncertainty about the tax credit.