Democratic senators speak out against $450-million stimulus funding for Chinese-built turbines

[heli]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/03/AR2010030302764.html

Democratic senators say stimulus is aiding clean-energy jobs overseas
By Dan Eggen

A group of Democratic senators called Wednesday for the government to halt a federal stimulus program aimed at building wind- and clean-energy projects, arguing that too much of the money spent so far has gone to create jobs overseas.

The Obama administration and wind-energy advocates strongly disputed the criticism by Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.) and three other Democrats, saying that most of the jobs under the program have been created in the United States, despite the dominance of foreign manufacturers in the green-technology sector...

Joined by Sens. Robert P. Casey Jr. (Pa.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio) and Jon Tester (Mont.), Schumer said at a news conference that the Obama administration has ignored concerns about foreign involvement in the clean-energy program and halt further funding of it until Congress can pass legislation to deal with the problem.

Schumer and the other lawmakers focused particular criticism at Cielo Wind Power of Austin, which has said it may apply for up to $450 million in stimulus funding for a massive wind farm that would be powered by turbines built by a Chinese partner. "It is a no-brainer that stimulus funds should only go to projects that create jobs in the United States, rather than overseas," Schumer said. "These wind projects have a lot of merit, but the manufacturing should be happening here, not in China."...

[FreakinDJ]

1. Kinda depressing he is drinking the "Free Trade Kool Aid"

sorry fellow DUers