Through their backing of Americans for Prosperity, Charles and David Koch have attempted to block multiple tax credits, subsidies and initiatives that support the growth of the renewable energy industry. As the political arm of two titans of the fossil fuel industry, it’s no surprise that AFP has railed against renewable energy – everything from biofuels, to wind and solar.
AFP routinely identifies proposed tax credits for renewable energy production as “key votes,” essentially scoring Members of Congress based on their willingness to block federal support for renewable energy projects.
In Georgia, AFP went a step further in their opposition to solar energy, propagating a claim that “a proposal requiring Southern Co. subsidiary Georgia Power to buy more solar energy could raise energy bills by 40 percent,” according to the Huffington Post. The same HuffPo report notes that “the claim is misleading.”
Not ones to discriminate in their opposition to different types of renewable energy, AFP and the Kochs have also opposed the expansion of the wind production tax credit.
AFP Identified 16 Votes Against Legislation Regarding Tax Credits Or Other Federal Support For Renewable Energy As Key Votes. Americans for Prosperity’s online scorecards of key votes in the 110th, 111th, 112th and 113th Congresses included 16 votes on legislation that included provisions adding, extending or eliminating renewable energy-related tax credits or other federal support for renewable energy. Those votes were 2012 Senate vote 150, 2012 Senate vote 41, 2012 Senate vote 39, 2011 House vote 277, 2011 Senate vote 90, 2011 Senate vote 77, 2009 House vote 477, 2009 House vote 46, 2008 House vote 599, 2008 House vote 344, 2008 House vote 84, 2008 Senate vote 150, 2008 Senate vote 146, 2007 House vote 1177, 2007 House vote 40 and 2007 Senate vote 223. [AFP Scorecards for the 110th, 111th, 112th and 113th Congresses, Viewed 4/16/14]
Renewable Energy Subsidies
Charles Koch: “Subsidies Are Usually Promoted By Those Who Seek To Profit By Political Means.” According to the Discovery Newsletter on the Koch Industries website, “Charles Koch, chairman and CEO of Koch Industries, has frequently commented on the problem of subsidies. ‘Subsidies are usually promoted by those who seek to profit by political means,’ Koch said, ‘rather than by fairly competing in a free market where consumers – not governments – choose the winners.’” [Discover Newsletter via KochInd.com, 1/1/12]
Richard Fink: “We Oppose Subsidies Because They Distort Markets.” According to the Discovery Newsletter on the Koch Industries website, “For decades, Koch leaders have consistently spoken out in opposition to subsidies, based on a belief in free markets. As KII board member Richard Fink puts it: ‘We oppose subsidies because they distort markets. We maintain that the marketplace, while not perfect, is the best mechanism for allocating resources.’” [Discover Newsletter via KochInd.com, 1/1/12]
Domestic Alternative Fuels Act
Americans For Prosperity Opposed Allowing Ethanol Produced From Natural Gas To Qualify As A Renewable Fuel In The Renewable Fuel Program. According to a letter to Representative Olsen, Americans for Prosperity Policy Analyst Christine Harbin Hanson said, “I am writing in strong opposition to your Domestic Alternative Fuels Act (H.R. 1959). Your legislation would allow domestic alternative fuel—ethanol produced from natural gas—to qualify as renewable fuel in the Renewable Fuel Program in the Clean Air Act. Although the ostensible goal of this legislation is to weaken and undermine the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which requires that refiners blend a certain amount of ethanol in gasoline, it will have an opposite effect. Including more allowable fuels will have the unintended consequence of expanding it. Now is the time to repeal this economically-damaging mandate, not expand it.” [Americans for Prosperity, 7/15/13]
Solar
Charles Koch: “It Takes Courage To Turn Down An Investment In A Solar Energy Firm That Is Guaranteed To Be Profitable, But Only Because Of Its Federal Subsidies And Mandates.” According to an article written by Charles G. Koch on the Koch Industries website, “It takes courage to turn down an investment in a solar energy firm that is guaranteed to be profitable, but only because of its federal subsidies and mandates.”[KochInd.com, 10/2/12]
The Georgia Chapter Of Americans For Prosperity Opposed Requiring Georgia Power To Buy More Solar Energy. According to the Huffington Post, “The Georgia chapter of Americans For Prosperity has said in mass emails and on Twitter that a proposal requiring Southern Co. subsidiary Georgia Power to buy more solar energy could raise energy bills by 40 percent. A review of those figures shows the claim is misleading, and there’s a debate over how much solar energy might cost.” [Huffington Post, 7/8/13]
- The Georgia AFP Director Said The Measure Would Raise Electricity Bills By More Than 40 Percent. According to the Huffington Post, “In an email to supporters, Georgia director for Americans for Prosperity Virginia Galloway wrote, ‘What if I told you something you’re not even hearing about in the news is about to raise your electricity bill by more than 40 percent and reduce the reliability of every appliance and electronics gadget in your home? That’s what will happen when your Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) votes on July 11th if you don’t take action today!’” [Huffington Post, 7/8/13]
AFP Said Solar Mandates Could Cause Georgia To Lose Jobs. According to Americans for Prosperity Georgia, “Ga is economically competitive due to reliable, efficient energy. Renewable mandates may make that less true and cause jobs to leave Ga or never come. In NC, a recent study reveals that the presence of RPS could cost them over 3,000 job losses by 2018!” [Americans For Prosperity, 7/11/13]
Wind
Americans For Prosperity Opposed Extending The Wind Production Tax Credit. According to a letter to the House Ways and Means Committee Chairman, Americans for Prosperity National Issue Campaign Manager Christine Harbin Hanson said, “On behalf of more than two million Americans for Prosperity activists in all 50 states, I write to express our strong opposition to extending the wind production tax credit (PTC). We are encouraged by your decision to exclude this handout for the wind energy industry from the tax reform discussion draft you introduced earlier this year. We encourage your continued opposition to extending the PTC as your committee considers tax extenders legislation. […] Sincerely, Christine Harbin Hanson, National Issue Campaign Manager, Americans for Prosperity.” [Americans for Prosperity, 4/10/14]
Charles Koch: “Most [Wind Farms] Cannot Turn A Profit Without The Costly Subsidies The Government Provides.” According to an article written by Charles G. Koch on the Koch Industries website, “Cronyism enables favored companies to reap huge financial rewards, leaving the rest of us – customers and competitors alike – worse off. One obvious example of this involves wind farms. Most cannot turn a profit without the costly subsidies the government provides. Meanwhile, consumers and taxpayers are forced to pay an average of five times more for wind-generated electricity.” [KochInd.com, 7/1/12]