US mayors urge Congress not to scrap clean energy tax credits

More than 130 mayors and local elected officials from 39 US states plus Washington DC have written to members of Congress calling on them to preserve all clean energy tax credits available to state and local governments through elective pay.

Of the 133 signatories, 88 are mayors and 68 are also members of Climate Mayors, a network of US mayors demonstrating climate leadership through meaningful actions in their communities.

Clean energy tax credits

The letter states: “We urge you to prioritise the economic and energy future of our communities by preserving all clean energy tax credits available to state and local governments through elective pay.”

According to Climate Mayors, local governments and organisations would feel the brunt of any repeals and losing access to credits would place the viability of projects nationwide in jeopardy. More than 1,200 US organisations, including some 500 state and local governments, have accessed these incentives after only one year of elective pay’s implementation.

Local leaders called on elected officials to prevent the repeal of any clean energy incentives and the harm that blocking the credits would have on local economies and communities

The133 mayors representing 25 million Americans also emphasised their concerns that the repeal of beneficial clean energy tax credits could create economic uncertainty in their communities and would revoke access to important cost-saving projects that have only just begun to transform the lives and livelihoods of residents and businesses.

Elective pay provides local governments, as well as hospitals, schools, places of worship and other essential organisations, tax credits and cost savings to access clean, affordable energy. Using elective pay can help save thousands of dollars on infrastructure improvements and energy projects, and directly results in good-paying jobs, lower energy costs, and stronger and more energy-independent communities.