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Senate Energy Bill Passed Without Tax Incentives
The Senate passed a revised energy bill late on Dec. 13 after an attempt to include a $22 billion package of tax incentives for energy conservation fell one vote short earlier in the day.
After agreeing to remove the controversial tax items for renewable energy and conservation projects following two failed attempts to keep them, Senate leaders were able to gain broad bipartisan support and the bill was approved by a wide margin of 86 to 8. President Bush indicated that he would sign this version into law once it reached his desk.
The measure includes the first increase in corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards in 32 years for cars and light trucks. It also sets mandates for renewable fuel production, appliance and lighting efficiency and green building for federal construction.
Notably, the building code provisions that NAHB and several real estate leaders lobbied against were not included in the final bill. In addition, NAHB worked to modify language acceptable to the home building industry on improving energy efficiency for FHA properties and successfully lobbied to remove language that could have greatly expanded the scope of the Endangered Species Act in addressing climate change.
NAHB was also able to ensure that new storm water requirements for federal facilities did not encroach upon residential construction and helped lobby for the removal of all references to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system for new green building requirements for federal construction projects.
The House passed its energy bill last week with $11 billion in tax provisions and now is expected to hold a vote early this week to approve the Senate changes before sending the legislation to the White House.
For more information, e-mail Elizabeth Odina at NAHB or call her at 800-368-5242 x8570.
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