Wind Not Windfalls

On Monday, the Sierra Club will hold a Wind Not Windfalls press conference at 3:30 p.m. at the corner of Broad St. and Bainbridge St.

With gas and diesel prices back to a record high, and Pennsylvania ’s working families paying more for basic items such as bread and milk, the Sierra Club is launching a campaign through the PA primary to bring attention to taxpayer subsidies for big oil companies and the need to shift to renewable energy sources.

Last year, the country’s five largest oil companies made $123 billion in profits, while benefiting from billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies. Meanwhile, critical renewable energy tax incentives are set to expire at the end of this year. The America Wind Energy Association estimates that up to 75,000 America jobs could be lost if these incentives are not renewed early this year.

“Right now, Pennsylvanians have choices to make. We can either support subsidies for Big Oil, or support creating a new energy future for America , built on clean renewable energy’” said Rachel Martin, Sierra Club Regional Representative. “Taxpayer subsidies for big oil companies have brought us nothing but soaring gas prices and inflation. Shifting to renewable sources of energy like wind and solar, however, will help build our economy, create good, green jobs, and help solve global warming.”

Over the next two weeks, Sierra Club activists will be circulating petitions and raising awareness about this issue at candidate events and at polling places, and holding major events in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia .

“Soon, Senators McCain, Clinton , Obama, and Specter will have the opportunity to vote on redirecting subsidies from the oil companies to incentives for job-creating renewable energy, and to demonstrate whether they stand for PA’s working families, or for big oil companies,” said Martin. “It’s time for the Senators to move forward and vote for clean energy, not Big Oil. We are asking them to vote yes on HR 5351, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008.”