Bill Bradbury, a member of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council and a former Oregon Secretary of State, set forth the facts about wind power’s economic benefits, calling for an extension of the federal wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) in an op-ed published Saturday in the Portland Oregonian.

Wind companies, Bradbury said, have invested $4.5 billion in Oregon’s economy, supporting 3,000 jobs, providing tax revenue for school districts and public safety, and helping farmers and ranchers weather tough economic times.

Concluded Bradbury, “Suggesting that temporary, renewable energy policies should expire while allowing permanent fossil-fuel subsidies to live on is not a sustainable solution to develop a long-term and secure energy policy for our country. Wind energy, like all energy sectors, will always be in competition with other power sources. We need to give wind energy time to become fully self-sufficient, a goal the industry is working toward and not far from achieving …

“The facts are clear: Wind energy is an important economic driver for Oregon and the United States and an important piece in building, diversifying and securing our energy future. The PTC still has a role to play in helping the wind energy industry reach self-sufficiency, and it should be renewed.”