Friday, February 20, 2009

A Shared Victory on Stimulus Bill - Major Victory Announced

Hello Everyone,
~
I wanted to share an atta boy with everyone who has an interest in reducing foreign energy imports and the growing of infrastructure and jobs in America through the use of domestic energy for transportation. This is a terrific first step in the process, as I see it. Whether you participated in the Plug In America Campaign (and I thank you) or not, this is news you I hope you will agree that you should know about.
~
Warren Richardson, webmaster of www.green-metroplex.com

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Linda Nicholes linda@pluginamerica.org ( www.pluginamerica.org )
To: jwarrenr@rocketmail.com
Sent: Friday, February 20, 2009 10:54:54 AM
Subject: Plug In America's February News - Major Victory Announced
Plug In America

A Shared Victory on Stimulus Bill

Plug In America is celebrating one of its biggest victories, thanks to you, with the stimulus bill that President Obama signed into law Tuesday. Through intense congressional advocacy and more than 60,000 emails from our supporters coast to coast, we helped shape the bill's plug-positive legislation, which could result in one and a half million plug-in vehicles.

Stimulus bill invests more than $12 billion in plug-ins

Jay Friedland, Plug In America's legislative director, led the campaign. "This bill, which invests more than $12 billion in plug-in technology, including $2 billion in tax credits, will put vastly more numbers and kinds of plug-in electric vehicles on the road," Jay said in Plug In America's press release. "It will help create jobs and spur spending by incentivizing consumers to purchase the cleanest-running vehicles made today and those just around the corner."

As those who joined our campaign know, Plug In America urged a significant increase in the number and types of vehicles covered by the bill's plug-in vehicle tax credit. Also thanks to you, we won expansion of the tax credit from 250,000 vehicles industry wide to 200,000 vehicles per manufacturer, and the inclusion of two- and three-wheeled electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid conversions.

Eight major auto companies have announced the manufacture-with delivery dates-of highway capable all-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles. Ergo, the historic bill, which has a tax credit of up to $7,500 per vehicle, has the potential to stimulate the sale of up to one-and-a-half million plug-in vehicles. The tax credits will go into effect at the end of 2009 and extend at least through 2014.    

"The President has called for one million plug-ins by 2015, and while we'd like to reach that number even sooner, this provision will do wonders in helping us to meet Obama's goal," Jay said in the statement. "It also gives the auto companies tremendous incentive to accelerate their delivery dates."

A Plug In America-backed amendment by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) extended a 10% plug-in car tax credit to all-electric motorcycles, three-wheeled enclosed electric vehicles, Neighborhood Electric Vehicles, and plug-in conversions. As we know, these kinds of vehicles are already for sale and are the most affordable clean vehicles available. 

Senator Maria Cantwell chats about plug-ins
 

Cantwell's amendment passed the Senate with broad bipartisan support, 80-16, which showed a unified commitment to get plug-ins on the road. In her Senate floor speech, Cantwell said the bill "makes an investment in our future in electric plug-in vehicles by making sure we create the right incentives for investment in this kind of manufacturing."  The legislation will "create economic opportunity now," jobs for the future, and get America off foreign oil, she added.

In addition to Cantwell, Plug In America worked closely with a bipartisan group of senators including Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and with plug-in hybrid organizations including CalCars.org, and a coalition it created of entrepreneurial plug-in vehicle businesses from coast to coast: A123/Hymotion, Aptera, Brammo, Electric Motorsport, Mission Motorcycles, Myers Motors, Persu Mobility, Plug In Conversions Corp., Vectrix, and Zero Motorcycles.

  2 - 3 wheeled vehicles now get tax credits

 
The final bill, which also boosted tax credits for plug-in vehicle infrastructure, modified a plug-in vehicle tax credit passed into law at the end of the previous congressional session. The credit ranges from $2,500 to $7,500 for vehicles equipped with 4- to 16-kilowatt hours of battery energy.. The auto companies that have announced delivery dates are GM, Chrysler, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Hyundai and BMW.

Here's a sample of the kind of sentiment our supporters sent to their representatives, prompted by our action alerts:
"You are a leader of my country!" said David A. Fink of Manchester, New Hampshire. "I want you to help me change it for the better. I strongly support hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles! They are the quickest and most efficient way to move from petroleum based fuels that threaten our national security to energy sources that we the U.S. control. I want you to support plug-in vehicles by demanding the auto makers retool, and in the short term allow tax credits for those who are willing to buy or convert to plug in electric cars."

Again, we thank each and every one of you. Our reward is the reminder that democracy works, a greater certainty that the road ahead is paved with plug-ins, and the knowledge that we're part of a growing global team of stalwart, active supporters pulling for the same goals.

If you are not a member, there is no better time to join Plug In America.. Our next efforts will be to make sure the stimulus bill funding is properly spent and to keep you and the media informed as we move ahead.

Jim Woolsey on Advisory Board

Plug In America is pleased to announce the addition of R. James Woolsey to our Advisory Board.   A former director of Central Intelligence and co-founder of the Set America Free Coalition (www.setamericafree.org), Woolsey works tirelessly to move Americans off foreign oil by championing plug-in technology.  He drives a plug-in Prius and is a longtime supporter of Plug In America.   To learn more about Woolsey, visit http://tinyurl.com/cr3rx7.

Plug In America Board Members in the News

  Sherry  Boschert, National Green Leader

Sherry Boschert, a Plug In America co-founder and our vice president, is featured this month in the San Francisco Chronicle as one of America's green leaders. Among other achievements, Sherry authored the widely read book, "Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars That Will Recharge America." Click to read the front page Chronicle article.

Paul Scott, "Cars & Fuels of the Future" in Washington Post

Another co-founder and board member, Paul Scott, wrote a piece on the benefits of plug-ins charged with solar power and for a Washington Post special section published Feb. 10. Paul's article shares the section, "Cars & Fuels of the Future," with others by such industry luminaries as Joseph Romm, Senior Fellow with the Center for American Progress and Shai Agassi, CEO of Better Place.


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