The Alliance to Save Energy today urged Congress to adopt legislation promptly that would extend tax credits for homeowners who make energy-efficiency home improvements.

Washington, D.C., February 8, 2008 - The Alliance to Save Energy today urged Congress to adopt legislation promptly that would extend tax credits for homeowners who make energy-efficiency home improvements. Such tax credits are major incentives for moving energy-efficient technologies into the commercial mainstream, the Alliance said.

"Extension of the energy-efficiency tax credits will help lower home energy bills and will put money directly into the hands of U.S. consumers, who are facing home energy costs of nearly $2,200 this year," said Alliance President Kateri Callahan.

"We are very disappointed that the tax incentives that were added by the Senate Finance Committee were taken out of the Senate economic stimulus package, and we urge both the House and the Senate to quickly identify another legislative vehicle that will enable prompt enactment of a long-term extension of these incentives," Callahan said. "These tax credits were an important piece missing from the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, passed by Congress last December," she continued.

"Now, Congress has an opportunity to take care of this important unfinished business from last year by acting quickly to get the tax incentives extended, hopefully for several years," she said.