The House of Representatives released its long-awaited tax reform bill. Among many other changes to the tax code contained in the bill, there are several that could affect the region's burgeoning renewable energy industry. For example, the bill would shrink a tax credit available for wind projects by one third. While affected stakeholders will certainly be analyzing whether they stand to win or lose from the current plan, Congressman Brady, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, has suggested that the bill could see revisions before it is brought to the floor for a vote.
In other news, Sam Clovis, the controversial nominee for the Department of Agriculture's top science post, withdrew his nomination this week. Clovis faced strong criticism for his lack of scientific experience and for racially-charged statements he made during the Obama administration. He also has come up in discussions of Robert Mueller's ongoing investigation due to Clovis' interactions with George Papadopoulos, the Trump campaign adviser who pled guilty to lying to the FBI.
