Romney would end wind credits, help for Iowa

The United States gives billions in subsidies for fossil fuels and nuclear but only small tax incentives for solar and wind. Despite this stacked deck, alternative energy is surging. Iowa gets 20 percent of its electricity and thousands of jobs from wind power.

Burning fossil fuels causes about 100,000 U.S. deaths annually from cancer and lung diseases, causes billions in acid rain damage, and leaves behind strip mines and oil spills. Miners are buried alive or left choking from lung disease. Hydraulic fracturing contaminates groundwater.

Nuclear power leads to nuclear weapons proliferation and pools of radioactive waste. Many U.S. reactors are near earthquake faults, flood zones, etc. A major nuclear accident would cost so much taxpayers must insure nuclear reactors. The government doesn't provide free insurance for renewables. Uranium and fossil fuels will eventually run out, leaving our grandchildren with nothing. Global climate change threatens their survival.

Solar, wind, geothermal and biofuels will never run out. There are three possible paths forward: A true free market where no energy source is subsidized. Fair and equal subsidies to all energy sources. Or including pollution expenses into the price of dirty, finite resources. Clean, safe renewables outcompete dirty, dangerous finite resources in all three scenarios. Politicians receiving funding from fossil fuels and nuclear suggest the small tax incentives for alternatives be eliminated, but they would increase massive tax breaks and subsidies for fossil fuel and nuclear.

Mitt Romney would kill wind tax credits, costing Iowa many jobs.

Jay Miller

Hills