Report aims to help small developers and policy makers with local wind projects

A new report says federal tax policy is preventing small investors such as farmers and ranchers from buying into community wind projects, and it encourages Congress to enact changes to spur more locally owned developments.
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"For Montana, this is real important," said Patrick Mazza, research director for Seattle-based Harvesting Clean Energy, the report’s main author. "Montana is the potential Saudi Arabia of wind power."

The National 25x’25 Alliance http://www.25×25.org/ , which promotes meeting 25 percent of the nation’s energy needs with renewable energy by 2025, released "Community Wind 101, http://25×25.nonprofitsoapbox.com/storage/25×25/documents/PressReleases/commwind_full_report.pdf " along with the San Francisco-based groups Energy Foundation and Harvesting Clean Energy.

It is billed as a "primer for policymakers."

By KARL PUCKETT • Tribune Staff Writer

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