Sen. Schumer against stimulus money going to China

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November 7, 2009

By JOE LoTEMPLIO The Press Republican Sat Nov 07, 2009, 10:28 PM EST

PLATTSBURGH — U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer is fighting to block stimulus money from going to China.

Developers of a major wind farm in Texas are seeking about $450 million in federal stimulus money to finance the $1.5 billion project.

The project is expected to create between 2,000 and 3,000 jobs in China, where the wind turbines will be built.

Only about 330 jobs will be generated in the United States by the project, and about 300 of those are temporary, according to a statement from Schumer (D-Brooklyn).

"I'm all for investing in clean energy, but we should be investing in the United States, not China," Schumer said.

"The goal of the stimulus was to spur job creation here, not overseas. This project should not receive a dime of stimulus funds unless it relies on U.S.-manufactured products."

The Texas wind farm is a joint venture between a Texas company called Cielo Wind Power, the U.S. Renewable Energy Group and Sheyang Power Group of China.

It will feature a 648-megawatt wind farm in west Texas, covering 36,000 acres. The electricity generated by the farm is expected to be enough to power 135,000 to 180,000 American homes every year.

The project is expected to break ground next March.

Schumer said that while he favors clean energy sources, any project using stimulus money should involve U.S. manufacturing.

He sent a letter to U.S. Energy Secretary Dr. Steven Chu urging that the Texas project receive no stimulus money unless it relies on American-built products rather than Chinese turbines.

"American taxpayer dollars should not be used to finance those Chinese jobs," Schumer wrote to the secretary.

"I respectfully urge you to deny any Recovery Act (stimulus) funding to this project unless the majority of components are manufactured in the United States."

E-mail Joe LoTemplio at: jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com