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Taxpayer-Funded Wind Farms Prompt Concern from Democrats and Republicans; Jobs for China?
 (CNSNews.com) -- Wind-power projects funded in part by the $787-billion Recovery Act (stimulus law) are coming under scrutiny at a time when President Obama and other Democrats have promoted alternative forms of energy production. Two New York Democrats -- Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Eric Massa -- are among the lawmakers criticizing specific wind-power projects that are getting hundreds of millions in taxpayer subsidies. A "definitive agreement" was reached on one of those projects two weeks ago, according to a Dec. 20 news release from the Austin, Texas-based Cielo Wind Power. The deal is between Cielo, U.S. Renewable Energy Group and China-based Shenyang Power Group. The $1.5 billion project -- which is getting $450 million in stimulus funds -- is supposed to create 2,000 to 3,000 jobs. The problem is, most of those jobs will be in China, Sen. Schumer said, because that's where the wind turbines will be constructed. Another 300 temporary jobs will be created in Texas. "I'm all for investing in clean energy, but we should be investing in the United States, not China," Schumer wrote in a Nov. 5 letter to Energy Secretary Steven Chu. "The goal of the stimulus was to spur job creation here, not overseas. This project should not receive a dime of stimulus funds unless it relies on U.S.-manufactured products," the senator wrote. The Cielo wind farm in West Texas is supposed to cover 36,000 acres and generate enough electricity to power up to 180,000 American homes each year. Cielo Wind Power President Walt Hornaday, in a Nov. 10 statement, insisted that the project will grow the U.S. economy and would not be possible without federal assistance. "A project of this scale will not only create hundreds of on-site construction and operational jobs, but it will also benefit a network of engineers, suppliers, and contractors all around the U.S. who will see hundreds of millions of dollars in additional work," Hornaday said. "Cielo plans to draw on the same American contractors from North Dakota to New York and New Mexico to California who have contributed to its past 10 wind projects. This planned project is an economic development lifeline to the wind industry during tough economic times." Hornaday did not deny Schumer's assertions that most of the jobs would be created in China. However, a Cielo staff member told CNSNews.com last week that none of the stimulus funds (taxpayer money) would be used to pay workers in China. However, the spokesman declined to say any more about the project than has already been discussed in news releases. Posted by: Fred 2009-12-29 |
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