NMPF-Backed Environmental Mitigation Bill Included in House Energy Tax Draft
December 9, 2019
NMPF is pleased that core provisions of the bipartisan Agriculture Environmental Stewardship Act (H.R. 3744), introduced by Reps. Ron Kind (D-WI) and Tom Reed (R-NY), have been included in the Growing Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now (GREEN) Act discussion draft put forward by Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, which has oversight of tax policy.
The provisions in the GREEN Act would make methane digesters eligible for a Section 48 Investment Tax Credit to cover 30 percent of the upfront capital costs of installation. Nutrient recovery technologies would be made eligible provided that they are attached to a digester.
NMPF has worked in partnership with the American Biogas Council on this proposal and particularly wishes to thank Rep. Kind for his advocacy on this effort.
“Thanks to the efforts of Rep. Ron Kind, this draft recognizes the value that biogas systems can have for dairy producers of all sizes as they continuously improve their sustainability nationwide,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “This new investment tax credit would also address the value of nutrient recovery technologies, which can transform manure into fertilizer for crops and bedding for cows. These technologies are important, but expensive. If passed, this bill will help farmers incorporate these new technologies into their operations and benefit everyone.”
The bill would enable dairy farmers to increase their investment in technologies that help recover and recycle nutrients from animal waste, in turn improving water quality in communities. NMPF will continue working with Reps. Kind and Reed as well as Chairman Thompson as this effort moves forward.
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