Author Archives Laura Arnold

Ind. Gov-elect Pence Names Policy Team; Dan Schmidt Named for Energy, Environment, Transportation and Gaming

Posted by Laura Arnold  /   January 09, 2013  /   Posted in Uncategorized  /   No Comments

January 9, 2013

News Release

Carmel, Ind. -- Governor-elect Mike Pence today named members of his policy team, which will be led by Senior Policy Director Marilee Springer.

As previously announced, Marilee Springer will join Pence's team as Senior Policy Director. She currently is a partner at Ice Miller with the firm's tax group. In that role, Springer represents tax-exempt and governmental entities, with a focus on private foundations and donors, colleges and universities, and health care providers. Springer was an integral part of the campaign policy team as a volunteer.

Ryan Streeter will join the policy team as Senior Economic Policy Director and Deputy Policy Director. Streeter is a Distinguished Fellow for Economic and Fiscal Policy at the Sagamore Institute and has taught as an adjunct professor at Indiana University's school of public policy. Previously, he was a senior fellow and one of the founding directors at the Legatum Institute in London. He served in the White House as a special assistant for domestic policy to George W. Bush. Streeter, of Indianapolis, holds a Ph.D. from Emory University.

Dan Schmidt will serve as Policy Director for Energy and Environment, Transportation, and Gaming. Serving as a volunteer, Schmidt led the development of the energy, environment, and natural resource policies for the Pence campaign and is a frequent presenter on energy-related issues. For the past seven years, Schmidt has served as a strategic planner and the Director of Energy Development for Schmidt Associates, an architecture/engineering firm, with an emphasis on energy planning and efficiency projects. Prior to this role, Schmidt practiced law in Kokomo, Indiana for six years, managing his own 5-person firm for most of that time. Schmidt, of Carmel, holds a law degree from Indiana University and a graduate business degree from the University of Colorado.

With extensive experience in the criminal justice system, Christina Trexler will serve in the Pence Administration as Public Safety Policy Director. Most recently, Trexler worked at Public Advocates in Community re-Entry (PACE), where she served as deputy director and director of development. Beginning her career in criminal justice in 1999, Trexler worked on numerous cases around the state as a mitigation and sentencing consultant and later expanded her work to include private investigation for local law firms and businesses.

Andrew Kossack will serve as Education and Workforce Policy Director. He is currently the deputy chief of staff for the Indiana Department of Education, where he oversees the human resources and finance divisions of the 250-person agency. Before joining the department, Kossack was Indiana's public access counselor from 2009-2011. Prior to that appointment, he practiced labor and employment law as an attorney at Barnes & Thornburg LLP in Indianapolis. Kossack, of Zionsville, received his undergraduate degree from Butler University and his law degree from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, where he was an editor of the Indiana Law Review.

Brian Neale joins the policy team as Health Care Policy Directer after having served as Congressman Mike Pence's Legislative Director and Counsel in Washington, D.C., where he held a policy portfolio consisting primarily of health care, financial services, and judiciary issues.  Prior to joining the Pence office, Neale served an appointment as Advisor to U.S. Small Business Administrator Sandy Baruah.  Neale has previously worked in Colorado as a commercial real estate loan underwriter for BBVA Compass Bank. A native Hoosier, Neale holds degrees from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business and McKinney School of Law.

Adam H. Berry, of Indianapolis, will serve as Regulatory Policy Director in the Pence Administration. Berry's legal experience includes time in the private and public sectors, having worked for the Marion County Prosecutor's Office, in a corporate litigation firm, and in state government. He is currently the Associate General Counsel at the Indiana Department of Insurance where he is charged with representing the department in enforcement matters. Berry served in a volunteer capacity on the Pence campaign as the regulatory policy coordinator, helping to develop several policy agenda items. Berry is a graduate of Wabash College and Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law.

"Our Administration will remain resolutely focused on developing policies to benefit Hoosiers across the state," said Gov.-elect Mike Pence. "The depth of knowledge and experience of this policy team will serve as an asset to the great people of Indiana, and we are eager to get to work in the days ahead."

Source: Office of Governor-Elect Mike Pence

Indiana State legislators reconvened today (1/7/13); Deadlines for 2013 Indiana General Assembly

Posted by Laura Arnold  /   January 07, 2013  /   Posted in Uncategorized  /   No Comments

Dear Indiana DG Readers:

Indiana state lawmakers reconvened today (1/07/2013) at the State House in Indianapolis. 2013 is the so-called "long session" in which a two-year budget is the primary agenda item.

One week from today (1/13/2013) Indiana Governor-elect Mike Pence and Indiana Lt. Governor-elect Sue Ellsperman will be sworn into office.

Please find below a list of the upcoming deadlines for legislative action during the 2013 session. In general, the first round of the session, i.e. House Bills in the House and Senate Bills in the Senate need to pass the first house, 2/25/13 and 2/20/13, respectively. Generally, most committees only meet once maybe twice a week unless it's the House Ways and Means Committee or Senate Appropriations Committee which deal with the state budget.

Please watch your local newspaper and/or local Chamber of Commerce to find out when and where Third House, Cracker Barrel or Legislative Forums are scheduled in your community. These are sessions held back in state legislators districts and frequently held on Saturday mornings. I am compiling this information now. If you have information about these meetings in your community, please email it to me at Laura.Arnold@IndianaDG.net.

Laura Ann Arnold

2013 Deadlines for 2013 Indiana General Assembly.


Also see http://www.in.gov/legislative/pdf/2013_session_lng.pdf

Indiana House Deadlines

Action Deadline
01/14/2013 Bill introduction (Rule 108.1)
02/25/2013 3rd Reading - House Bills (Rule 147.1)
04/15/2013 3rd Reading - Senate Bills (Rule 148.1)
04/15/2013 Conference Committee Reports (Rule 160.1)
04/29/2013 House Adjourned for Session
04/29/2013 Adjourn Sine Die

Indiana Senate Deadlines

Action Deadline
01/11/2013 Filing for introduction (Rule 45a)
02/20/2013 3rd Reading - Senate Bills (Rule 76a)
04/10/2013 3rd Reading - House Bills (Rule 76b)
04/10/2013 Conference Committee Reports (Rule 83i)
04/29/2013 Senate Adjourned for Session
04/29/2013 Adjourn Sine Die

AP: Indiana wind energy industry relieved tax credit extended, but says long-term credit needed

Posted by Laura Arnold  /   January 06, 2013  /   Posted in Uncategorized  /   No Comments

By KEN KUSMER,  Associated Press
Updated: January 03, 2013 - 5:15 pm

INDIANAPOLIS — Officials with Indiana's wind energy industry say they are relieved by Congress' one-year extension of a tax credit but contend it will take a longer-term approach to grow the business and create jobs in the state.

The legislation signed earlier this week by President Barack Obama averting the fiscal cliff extended a wind energy production tax credit to projects that begin construction in 2013, but entrepreneur Noel Davis likened that to playing a single quarter of football instead of a complete game.

A project like the Wildcat Wind Farm going up in north central Indiana needs years to collect and analyze wind readings, perform economic studies, design a project, and secure land rights before starting to build.

"It takes a long time to do that," Davis said. "Something like that cannot be done in one year."

The uncertainty over long-term tax incentives has kept Indiana's wind energy industry from fully taking off despite the promise of projects such as Wildcat and the 303-turbine, 500-megawatt-capacity Meadow Lake Wind Farm in White County that have helped produce the 13th largest installed wind power capacity among states. As of Wednesday, Indiana had 930 turbines producing 1,543 megawatts of electricity, according to the Indiana Office of Energy Development.

The 2.2 cent-per-kilowatt tax credit was established in 1992, and some in Congress, including Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., sought its elimination as a costly subsidy to an "intermittent resource."

Wildcat's developer, E-on Climate & Renewables, raced to finish its 125-turbine first phase in Tipton and Madison counties, about 40 miles north of Indianapolis, by the end of 2012 out of fear the credit wouldn't be renewed. Now that it has, it still needs to develop site plans and secure land rights for 200 more turbines in Howard and Grant counties, project manager Andy Melka said recently.

The uncertainty also has stalled job growth among manufacturers despite Indiana's manufacturing-heavy economy. Italy-based Brevini Wind announced plans in 2009 for a 450-worker factory in Muncie that would build turbine gearboxes, but it had only 70 workers by last year and has until the end this year to reach 250 jobs to receive $1.7 million in tax-increment financing revenue from Delaware County.

Brevini is among more than a dozen Indiana companies manufacturing wind energy components, but adding others will take more than one-year extensions of the federal tax credit, said Davis, founder of Vela Gear Systems, which plans to build a gearbox factory in Marion but so far lacks financing.

Before investors will sink money into Davis's company, they want to make sure he has orders for his products. Developers won't provide them until they have the assurance of long-term tax credits, he said.

"If I don't get an order, I'm not going to get the money. It's the same for everybody in this business," Davis said.

Laura Ann Arnold, president of renewable energy promoter Indiana Distributed Energy Advocates, said the one-year extension was "extremely important" but the industry was hoping for more.

"A one-year-extension is really a Band-Aid. You can't take a major industry and do this stop-start, stop-start thing. It's like yo-yo dieting," Arnold said.

A multi-year tax credit, even one that's eventually eliminated, would better provide the stability needed to grow the industry and create jobs. Northwestern Indiana's steel industry, for example, stands to benefit if a blade manufacturer opened a factory in or near this state. Netherlands-based Global Blade Technology has announced plans to produce its first U.S. blades in Evansville by 2014.

"I think a gradual phase-out over a longer period of time would have been better," Arnold said.

Stutzman, who represents northeastern Indiana, was among 47 U.S. House members who signed a letter to Speaker John Boehner in September criticizing the tax credit. They said a one-year extension would cost taxpayers more than $12 billion. Stutzman was the only Indiana representative to sign the letter.

"It often drives wind developers to build projects with little regard to consumer demand, as long as they can be placed on line and their power brought to market to collect the subsidy," the letter said.

(Story distributed by The Associated Press)

Ind. Biomass Working Group Mtg 1/8/13 at Purdue on Biofuels for Aviation; Urge Solar and Wind Groups to Meet Again!

Posted by Laura Arnold  /   January 03, 2013  /   Posted in Uncategorized  /   No Comments

Dear IndianaDG Readers:

I pledge to share information about upcoming events and activities concerning renewable energy and distributed generation as best as I can. Please send me information about your events and activities including installations to share with our readers as well as via other social media such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

It will be easiest to cut and paste this information if I receive it in a Microsoft Word file as well as a PDF that I can post for readers to download.

I also want to encourage everyone to urge the Governor-elect Mike Pence and Lt. Governor-elect Sue Ellsperman to reactivate and invigorate both the Indiana Solar Energy Working Group and Indiana Wind Working Group activities. Personally, I attended the meetings of both these two working groups and found them very valuable, especially the networking activities before, during and after the meetings. Just a thought. Perhaps you might also have some ideas on how to improve the wind and solar working groups. Please share your thoughts with our readers.

Laura Ann Arnold

Session for Biofuels for the Aviation Industry

Hosted by the Indiana Biomass Energy Working Group

January 8, 2013
11:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Beck Agricultural Center, West Lafayette, IN

You are Invited to Register for the Session

"Biofuels for the Aviation Industry" 
Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Registration is Available Online

Click Here

Fee $25 per person

 "The Working Group encourages business to business interaction!" 
Complementary Business Display Space Available with Each Registration

Reserve your table with Chad Martin at martin95@purdue.edu or call (765) 496-3964

Please feel free to pass along to interested colleagues!

We would like to welcome you to participate in a session to be held January 8, 2013 beginning at 11:30 a.m.

Beck Agricultural Center

4540 U.S. 52 West

West Lafayette, IN 47906

For a map; Click here

Agenda

11:30 a.m. Registration Open and Networking

Pre-registration encouraged online: https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?item_number=CW-ABE-1

12:00 p.m. Lunch Buffet

1:15 p.m.   Welcome and Introductions
1:30 p.m.

Dr. Maureen McCann, Professor, Director of the Purdue Energy Center
Presentation Title: Center for Direct Catalytic Conversion of Biomass to Biofuels

2:10 p.m. Networking Break (Business Display Visits)

2:30 p.m.

Dr. Nate Mosier, Associate Professor, Ag and Biological Engineering

Presentation Title: Drop-in Biofuels Development

3:00 p.m.

Dr. David Stanley, P.I. NATEF and Professor, Aviation Technology

Presentation Title: Biofuels and the Aviation Industry

3:30 p.m.

Dr. Wallace Tyner, James and Lois Akerman Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics
Presentation Title: A Federal Biofuel Policy Update

4:00 p.m.

Melanie Thom, President and Senior Staff Scientist, Baere Aerospace

Presentation Title: If I Build an Alternative Biofuel, Will They Come?

4:30 Announcements for Biomass Energy in Indiana

The event is sponsored by Purdue University, Purdue Energy Center at Discovery Park, Indiana Office of Energy Development, Greater Indiana Clean Cities Coalition, USDA Rural Development, and CenUSA Bioenergy project - supported by Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant no. 2011-68005-30411 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Logansport Municipal Utilities RFP Released
Logansport Municipal Utilities (LMU) has put out to bid a Request for Proposal (RFP) to vendors for engaging with their electrical generating power plant repowering and expansion project.As part of this RFP process, LMU is issuing this notice to contractors and vendors to submit to LMU, their updated credentials and statements of capability. The information will be used to compile a list of regional contractors and vendors available to work as subcontractors on the power plant project.To recieve more information and a copy of the RFP, contact Paul Hartman at Logansport Municipal Utilities.   The requested material is to be submitted by February 4, 2013 at 1:00 p.m.New Renewable Energy Extension Publication Available Online "Incentives in Long-Term Biofuel Contracts"

(RE-4-W)

Authors: Stephanie Rosch, Corinne Alexander, Wallace Tyner, and Steven Y. Wu, Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University.  Rasto Ivanic, Mendel Biotechnology. Joshua R. Yoder, Private Consultant.

Click Here to Download Publication

 

Mission Statement:

The Indiana Biomass Energy Working Group is a consortium of stakeholders from the industry, state and federal government, trade organizations, universities and citizenry working together to create a climate in the state of Indiana that would foster the growth of a viable renewable energy industry, protect our environment, provide energy security and green jobs in our communities. This will be done through educational programming and networking among stakeholders. 

 

Click Here for the Indiana Biomass Energy Working Group website

Politico: Fiscal cliff bill (full text); Learn details about renewable energy tax credits in H.R. 8; How did they vote?

Posted by Laura Arnold  /   January 02, 2013  /   Posted in Uncategorized  /   1 Comments

Dear IndianaDG Readers:

The U.S. House of Representatives voted last night by a vote of  257 to 167.

REPUBLICANS

85 yes

151 no

DEMOCRATS

172 yes

16 no

INDIANA

Democrats — Carson, Y; Donnelly, Y; Visclosky, N.

Republicans — Bucshon, N; Burton, X; Pence, N; Rokita, N; Stutzman, N; Young, N.

ILLINOIS

Democrats — Costello, Y; Davis, Y; Gutierrez, Y; Lipinski, Y; Quigley, Y; Rush, Y; Schakowsky, Y.

Republicans — Biggert, Y; Dold, Y; Hultgren, N; Johnson, Y; Kinzinger, Y; Manzullo, Y; Roskam, N; Schilling, N; Schock, Y; Shimkus, Y; Walsh, N.

KENTUCKY

Democrats — Chandler, Y; Yarmuth, Y.

Republicans — Guthrie, N; Massie, N; Rogers, Y; Whitfield, N.

MICHIGAN

Democrats — Clarke, Y; Conyers, Y; Curson, Y; Dingell, Y; Kildee, Y; Levin, Y; Peters, Y.

Republicans — Amash, N; Benishek, Y; Camp, Y; Huizenga, N; Miller, Y; Rogers, Y; Upton, Y; Walberg, N.

OHIO

Democrats — Fudge, Y; Kaptur, Y; Kucinich, Y; Ryan, Y; Sutton, Y.

Republicans — Austria, N; Boehner, Y; Chabot, N; Gibbs, N; Johnson, Y; Jordan, N; LaTourette, Y; Latta, Y; Renacci, N; Schmidt, N; Stivers, Y; Tiberi, Y; Turner, N.

A complete list can be found at: http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20130102/PC1601/130109909/1005/house-roll-call-on-deal-to-avoid-fiscal-cliff

Here is how the US Senate voted earlier.

The 89-8 roll call Tuesday by which the Senate passed the Job Protection and Recession Prevention Act of 2012, which broke the "fiscal cliff" stalemate.

A "yes" vote is a vote to pass the bill.

Voting yes were 47 Democrats, 40 Republicans and 2 independents.

Voting no were 3 Democrats and 5 Republicans.

Here is the breakdown for Indiana and our neighboring states:

Indiana

  • Coats (R) Yes
  • Lugar (R) Yes

Illinois

  • Durbin (D) Yes
  • Kirk (R) Not voting

Kentucky

  • McConnell (R) Yes
  • Paul (R) No

Michigan

  • Levin (D) Yes
  • Stabenow (D) Yes

OHIO

  • Brown (D), Yes
  • Portman (R), Yes

Read more:Senate roll call on 'fiscal cliff' deal - The Denver Posthttp://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_22293272/senate-roll-call-fiscal-cliff-deal#ixzz2Gp9IPvHv

This link provides a good visual summary of the roll call on this bill. See

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES--112th Cong., 2d Sess.

H. R. 8

To extend certain tax relief provisions enacted in 2001 and 2003, and to provide for expedited consideration of a bill providing for comprehensive tax reform, and for other purposes.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/fiscal-cliff-bill-full-text-85644.html#ixzz2Gl08BUQa

As far as I understand the bill was not amended last night in the House. See http://politi.co/12VpDn8

page 72

1 SEC. 407. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF CREDITS

2 WITH RESPECT TO FACILITIES PRODUCING

3 ENERGY FROM CERTAIN RENEWABLE RE-

4 SOURCES.

5

6 (a) PRODUCTION TAX CREDIT.-- (1) EXTENSION FOR WIND FACILITIES.--Para-

7 graph (1) of section 45(d) is amended by striking

8 ''January 1, 2013'' and inserting ''January 1, 9 2014''.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/fiscal-cliff-bill-full-text-85644.html#ixzz2Gky5XhiW

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