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Coalition Urges Extension of Energy Efficient Buildings Tax Deduction

FEB. 11, 2019

Coalition Urges Extension of Energy Efficient Buildings Tax Deduction

DATED FEB. 11, 2019
DOCUMENT ATTRIBUTES
  • Institutional Authors
    Air Conditioning Contractors of America
    Alliance to Save Energy
    Alliantgroup LP
    Ameresco
    American Council of Engineering Companies
    American Institute of Architects
    Associated General Contractors of America
    Blue Energy Group
    Building Owners and Managers Association International
    Business Council for Sustainable Energy
    CCIM Institute
    Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions
    Concord Energy Strategies
    ConEdison Solutions
    Daikin US Corp
    Environmental Entrepreneurs
    Energy Systems Group
    Energy Tax Savers Inc
    ENGIE Services US
    Entegrity
    Independent Electrical Contractors
    Institute of Real Estate Management
    Insulation Contractors Association of America
    Lexicon Lighting Technologies
    LightPro Software LLC
    LuNex Lighting
    Micromega Systems
    National Apartment Association
    National Association of College and University Business Officers
    National Association of Electrical Distributors
    National Association of Energy Service Companies
    National Association of REALTORS
    National Electrical Manufacturers Association
    National Leased Housing Association
    National Multifamily Housing Council
    Rampart Partners LLC
    Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association
    Silicon Valley Leadership Group
    Smardt Chiller Group Inc
    Sustainable Performance Solutions LLC
    U.S. Green Building Council
    Johnson Controls International PLC
  • Code Sections
  • Subject Area/Tax Topics
  • Industry Groups
    Energy
  • Jurisdictions
  • Tax Analysts Document Number
    2019-6048
  • Tax Analysts Electronic Citation
    2019 TNT 33-21
[Editor's Note:

An identical letter was sent to Senate leaders.

]

February 11, 2019

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
H-232 The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Kevin McCarthy
Minority Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
H-204 The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Richard Neal
Chairman
House Committee on Ways and Means
1102 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Kevin Brady
Ranking Member
House Committee on Ways and Means
1139E Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Minority Leader McCarthy, Chairman Neal, and Ranking Member Brady:

We, the undersigned members of the Coalition for Energy Efficient Jobs & Investment, urge you to extend the Section 179D deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings as soon as possible. This important incentive that helps drive economic and employment growth has been expired since December 31, 2017. With tax filing season underway, it is critically important that Congress acts quickly to extend Section 179D through at least 2018.

Our organizations and companies represent a broad spectrum of the U.S. economy. They include real estate, manufacturing, architecture, contracting, engineering, building services, financing, labor, education, environmental and energy efficiency advocates. We represent many small businesses that drive and sustain American job growth.

With the assistance of the Section 179D tax deduction, building owners have been able to leverage billions of dollars in private capital to introduce energy efficient enhancements in thousands of commercial and larger multifamily buildings. These enhancements have created and preserved hundreds of thousands of jobs over the life of the Section 179D tax deduction, and have helped our country make strides toward energy independence.

These benefits are confirmed by a recent economic impact study conducted by Regional Economic Models, Inc. (“REMI”). REMI's conclusion is unequivocal, finding that “Section 179D is an engine of economic and employment growth.” In particular, an enhanced tax incentive for energy efficient commercial buildings, including reforms geared toward retrofits of privately-owned buildings, could support up to 76,529 jobs and contribute almost $7.4 billion toward our national GDP each year. These results represent a significant return on the taxpayer investment in Section 179D, well in excess of the provision's revenue cost. The study also confirms that extending Section 179D would have a substantial positive impact on economic and employment growth.

To help provide certainty for the organizations and companies that utilize the Section 179D tax deduction, it is important to extend this provision through at least 2018 as soon as possible. We also encourage you to consider extending this provision beyond 2018. Doing so would encourage additional investment in energy efficient improvements by providing organizations and companies with the planning certainty they have lacked for the past few years.

We look forward to working with you to ensure that tax incentives for energy efficient investment continue to be an engine of growth for our economy. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Air Conditioning Contractors of America

Alliance to Save Energy

Alliantgroup, LLC

Ameresco

American Council of Engineering Companies

American Institute of Architects

Associated General Contractors of America

BLUE Energy Group

Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International

Business Council for Sustainable Energy

CCIM Institute

Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions

Concord Energy Strategies

Consolidated Edison Solutions

Daikin US Corporation

E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs)

Energy Systems Group

Energy Tax Savers, Inc.

ENGIE Services U.S.

Entegrity

Independent Electrical Contractors

Institute of Real Estate Management

Insulation Contractors Association of America

Johnson Controls, Inc.

Lexicon Lighting Technologies

LightPro Software, LLC

LuNex Lighting

Micromega Systems, Inc.

National Apartment Association

National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO)

National Association of Electrical Distributors

National Association of Energy Service Companies (NAESCO)

National Association of REALTORS®

National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)

National Leased Housing Association

National Multifamily Housing Council

Rampart Partners LLC

Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning

Contractors' National Association (SMACNA)

Silicon Valley Leadership Group

Smardt Chillers, Inc.

Sustainable Performance Solutions LLC

U.S. Green Building Council

DOCUMENT ATTRIBUTES
  • Institutional Authors
    Air Conditioning Contractors of America
    Alliance to Save Energy
    Alliantgroup LP
    Ameresco
    American Council of Engineering Companies
    American Institute of Architects
    Associated General Contractors of America
    Blue Energy Group
    Building Owners and Managers Association International
    Business Council for Sustainable Energy
    CCIM Institute
    Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions
    Concord Energy Strategies
    ConEdison Solutions
    Daikin US Corp
    Environmental Entrepreneurs
    Energy Systems Group
    Energy Tax Savers Inc
    ENGIE Services US
    Entegrity
    Independent Electrical Contractors
    Institute of Real Estate Management
    Insulation Contractors Association of America
    Lexicon Lighting Technologies
    LightPro Software LLC
    LuNex Lighting
    Micromega Systems
    National Apartment Association
    National Association of College and University Business Officers
    National Association of Electrical Distributors
    National Association of Energy Service Companies
    National Association of REALTORS
    National Electrical Manufacturers Association
    National Leased Housing Association
    National Multifamily Housing Council
    Rampart Partners LLC
    Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association
    Silicon Valley Leadership Group
    Smardt Chiller Group Inc
    Sustainable Performance Solutions LLC
    U.S. Green Building Council
    Johnson Controls International PLC
  • Code Sections
  • Subject Area/Tax Topics
  • Industry Groups
    Energy
  • Jurisdictions
  • Tax Analysts Document Number
    2019-6048
  • Tax Analysts Electronic Citation
    2019 TNT 33-21
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