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KUNC's guide to Election 2012 in Colorado and the Colorado vote. Additional guides include a detailed look at Amendment 64, Amendment 65, and a look at Amendment S. You can find our archive of national election coverage here.

Polis, Lundberg Spar Over Wind Tax Credit

William Andrus
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Flickr - Creative Commons

Berthoud Republican Kevin Lundberg says a popular tax credit on wind power production is an example of how the federal government is picking winners and losers on energy policy. 

Lundberg, who is challenging Democrat Jared Polis for his 2nd Congressional District seat, made the comments during a taped debate set to air Friday night on Rocky Mountain PBS.

"I'm not opposed to renewable energy," Lundberg said. "My own home is run on solar and wind, it just seemed like a good idea for me but it wasn’t cost effective, it was a very fascinating technology that I believe will play a larger role in coming decades."

Lundberg said industries should be able to compete on their own without artificial support that he says is creating an uneven playing field for all industries, including oil and gas. 

Rep. Polis shot back, saying the tax code favors wealthy oil and gas companies, and the wind tax credit should be in place so long as traditional energy companies are getting breaks.   

"If we can’t reign those in, let’s make sure that the wind and solar industry get a tax advantage as well so they compete on a level playing field with oil and gas," Polis said.  

The current stalemate over extending the wind tax credit has been closely watched in the state's expanded 2nd Congressional District, where the University of Colorado at Boulder and Colorado State University in Fort Collins have helped spur a burgeoning clean energy sector.  

The exchange over the wind tax credit was just one of several in the roughly thirty minute debate, which will air this evening at seven on Channel 6's flagship public affairs program, Colorado State of Mind.

Follow Reporter Kirk Siegler on Twitter @KirkSiegler.

Kirk Siegler reports for NPR, based out of NPR West in California.
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