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Jun 30, 2011

Schweikert putting brakes on surging solar industry

Loss of loan guarantees would stop solar-industry job growth in its tracks

Today's news that Tempe-based First Solar secured funding to build three solar energy plants should be reason to celebrate. After all, the solar industry is a bright spot in Arizona's gloomy economy, with our state ranking 8th in the nation in the number of solar jobs.

Despite this progress, AZGOP Congressman David Schweikert, who represents the district where First Solar is headquartered, wants to end a Department of Energy loan guarantee program that provides financing for solar energy projects. These loan guarantees have given the solar-energy industry the jump start necessary to become the fastest-growing industry in the United States, with 67 percent growth last year. (Source: Arizona Republic, 6/26/11)

But this hasn’t stopped Schweikert from putting his extreme ideology ahead of getting our economy back on track. Schweikert even went so far as to send a letter to the Appropriations Committee to dismantle to program. Industry leaders have warned that job growth will come to a halt if Schweikert’s efforts are successful. This is particularly troubling for Arizona, as the solar energy industry is expected to see a job growth increase of 16 percent this year alone. (Source: The Solar Foundation)

These are also high-paying jobs -- at around $50,000 a year, they exceed the state’s average annual salary of $42,390. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics).

“It makes no sense for Congressman Schweikert to pursue a policy that not only harms local job creation but undermines our long-term energy security," said Luis Heredia, Arizona Democratic Party executive director. "When a sector of the local economy is growing at 16 percent, you don’t pull the rug out from under it -- that's basic economics.”

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