After several weeks of negotiations, Congress has passed legislation that will extend the Production Tax Credit for wind energy for one year, benefitting the state.

The extension of the tax credit will allow the wind industry to hire back many of the workers who were laid off in the past year and work on resuming and expanding growth in the industry by creating more jobs.

Missouri Sierra Club Director John Hickey says this also means lower utility costs. He says wind energy is more cost effective than coal and nuclear and that’s one way Missouri benefits.

 Another way is by having cleaner air. “There’s already about a half dozen wind farms in Missouri and this will encourage the growth of more wind farms,” he says. “And that means cleaner air as we use wind instead of burning coal.”

Hickey says wind industry jobs will be preserved in areas such as Jefferson City, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Joplin where there are wind energy factories.

 

AUDIO: Mary Farucci reports. (0:57)