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 To Our Logan County Community,
Five years ago, our Economic Development Master Plan identified a
number of assets Logan County could leverage to position it for
sustained economic success. Two of those were wind resources and
electrical transmission capacity. The Master Plan noted the
potential of these assets to create new revenue streams and position
the County as a leader in the green energy technology industry. That
potential is now becoming a reality. In 2010, there was only one
wind farm in Logan County: the Railsplitter project. As 2015 draws
to a close, two additional projects are approved and ready to be
built – Sugar Creek and Relight, with another – Invenergy, in its
early stages of development.
Successful and sustainable economic development depends on
maintaining a diversified economic base. This means retaining and
strengthening existing businesses, while – at the same time –
helping new ones develop. At the end of 2014, Illinois was ranked
fifth in the nation in terms of installed wind power capacity, with
Logan County well on its path to achieving the goal set in its
Master Plan of becoming our state’s wind capital. Our Logan County
Board, led by Dr. David Hepler, its Chairman, is to be commended for
its efforts in helping Logan County move forward with these
projects.
Important legislation is coming up on the Federal level, however,
that could improve or impede the progress our County is making. A
package of “tax extenders” is before Congress, on which the House
and Senate are likely to vote by the end of this year. Included in
this proposed legislation is language designed to extend what are
known as “production tax credits” (PTC), which help wind farm
projects level the playing field in terms of credits offered to
other subsidized energy sources. In the past, there has been strong
bi-partisan support for PTCs, and it is hoped this support will
ensure these tax credits are extended past their current end date of
12/31/16.
It is estimated that for each megawatt of wind farm development,
approximately $9500 in tax revenue is pumped into rural schools and
other taxing districts. Given this formula, the combined megawatt
capacity of the five wind farms that exist, or are in development,
in Logan County could generate up to $4.5 million dollars in new
taxes per year.
[to top of second column in this letter] |
With this in mind, our Logan County Economic Development Partnership
office encourages concerned citizens to communicate their support
for production tax credits to our area’s elected officials,
including Representative LaHood, Senator Kirk, and Senator Durbin.
Doing so can contribute to the overall economic development of Logan
County.
Thanks for your consideration and support,
Bill Thomas, Ex. Director
Logan County Economic Development Partnership
CONTACT INFORMATION
Rep. Darin LaHood
ph: (202) 225-6201
309-693-4921
309-693-4921
309-693-4921
email: darin@darinlahood.com
Senator Mark Kirk
ph: 202-224-2854
website contact form:
http://www.kirk.senate.gov/?p=comment_on_legislation
Senator Dick Durbin
ph: 202.224.2152
website contact form:
http://www.dickdurbin.com/contact [Posted
November 25, 2015]
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