Wind-energy credit resurfaces in Senate tax plan

Senate legislation to extend various tax breaks now includes a one-year renewal of tax credits for wind energy projects that were omitted from an earlier version of the plan.

The Senate maneuvering is occurring in the shadow of a presidential race in which Mitt Romney's campaign is calling for the wind incentive to lapse while President Obama wants Congress to extend it.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) unveiled a revised version of the broad “extenders” package early Thursday ahead of a planned committee markup.

The plan now includes a one-year extension of the credit through 2013. The incentive, which the wind industry calls vital to financing new power projects, is currently slated to expire at the end of 2012.

However, the election-year path forward for the incentive — and the overall tax package — remains highly uncertain.

Romney’s opposition to extending the wind credit, announced this week, may create complications for GOP lawmakers.

A spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) did not respond to an inquiry Wednesday about Boehner’s view on renewing the incentive.

The Senate plan would allow the incentive for projects that begin construction before the end of next year.

Watch The Hill’s On The Money blog and E2-Wire for more as lawmakers negotiate over the extenders package.

This post was updated at 3:27 p.m.