Las Vegas Review-Journal

Senator did good work for state

- The writer is Las Vegas branch manager for Sunrun, a rooftop solar and battery company.

This year will be a little brighter thanks to our U.S. senator, Catherine Cortez Masto.

In addition to helping secure economic relief for Nevadans, Cortez Masto did more than anyone to keep solar energy growing in Nevada. For years she has been a champion of the most important federal policy for solar energy, the Investment Tax Credit (ITC). She introduced the bill to continue the ITC and keep solar energy growing strong.

The ITC is a tax credit that effectivel­y reduces the cost of solar by 26%. The amount of the credit was going to fall at the end of 2020, but Cortez Masto successful­ly extended it by two years. This will keep solar energy cost-competitiv­e and accessible to Nevadans. And since sunshine is one of the state’s most abundant natural resources, this policy is a major win here.

This legislativ­e victory will help Nevadans save money on their utility bills at a time when they need it most. According to new research, as families are staying home more, they’re also spending more of their incomes on electricit­y than ever before. In fact, American families spent an extra $6 billion on electricit­y from April through July.

The ITC will continue to support the growth of solar energy jobs in Nevada. Smart policies like the ITC have created good-paying jobs across our state. In addition, they will help protect Nevada’s fragile environmen­t and accomplish Gov. Steve Sisolak’s admirable goal to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Patrick Lundgren, Las Vegas

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