releases: https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=BAF394C1-C530-490C-BF23-1E4AB251EAA4
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=BAF394C1-C530-490C-BF23-1E4AB251EAA4 | New Report: 21,000 U.S. Wind Energy Jobs at Risk from Administrations Trade War | 2018-10-23 | 2018 | 2018-10 | Democrat | House | ND | Heidi Heitkamp | H001069 | www.heitkamp.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today released the following statement on the risk to jobs and economic growth in North Dakota's wind energy industry posed by the administration's trade war. Wind energy is part of North Dakota's all-of-the-above energy success story but that success is at risk by the administration's trade war, Heitkamp said. Rising input costs are hurting manufacturers and putting future wind projects in doubt, which is bad news for workers in manufacturing and trucking. The trade war could stifle the serious growth our state has seen in wind energy development and jobs after Congress passed a deal I negotiated in 2015 to provide a long-term extension of a tax credit to support wind energy, providing needed certain for producers and workers. And North Dakota farmers and ranchers who benefit from lease payments especially at a time of reduced commodity prices and uncertainty due to the trade war could also feel the pain if the trade war continues and new projects are delayed or cancelled. Steel and aluminum tariffs have increased costs for manufacturers, clouding the outlook for the wind energy industry. According to a recent American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) report, the administration's trade war has put up to 25 percent of future U.S. wind projects at risk. Nationwide, 21,000 jobs in the industry are at risk from the trade war. In North Dakota, nearly 3,000 jobs are supported by the industry, according to the report. According to a recent report in Bloomberg, the tariffs on steel, aluminum, and parts like blades, gearboxes, and crank shafts will ultimately lead to higher energy costs for consumers. Heitkamp helped negotiate a long-term extension of federal Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind energy in 2015 as part of her successful effort to build a bipartisan coalition around her plan to lift the ban on exporting domestic oil. That effort boosted wind energy development jobs across the state in the past several years, and in August, AWEA presented Heitkamp with the Wind Champion Award at Geronimo's wind farm near Courtenay. North Dakota was the No. 1 state in the nation in 2017 for wind energy jobs per capita. This translates into thousands of wind jobs in North Dakota that support families and powers businesses that is critical to growing the economy. The trade war is having a ripple effect across the economy, according to the AWEA report, threatening jobs in manufacturing and trucking industries, and putting farmers and ranchers who rely on lease payments at risk. The administration's tariffs on aluminum and steel arealso having negative ripple effects across the oil and gas industry, which relies on machinery and equipment produced in countries singled out for tariffs, raising costs for U.S. producers. CNBC recently reported that China, the second largest buyer of U.S. crude, completely stopped importing U.S. oil in August, a bad sign for oil producing regions like the Bakken. Tariffs have also depressed the price of crude oil, threatening prosperity in regions that depend on a robust energy industry. Heitkamp is helping to lead a bipartisan effort to reverse the tariffs that put the wind energy industry at risk. She joined U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) to introduce bipartisan legislation that would require congressional approval of tariffs designated for national security reasons, like the steel and aluminum tariffs. Heitkamp also cosponsored bipartisan legislation introduced by Republican U.S. Senator Jeff Flake from Arizona to nullify the steel and aluminum tariffs. Heitkamp has a long record of supporting North Dakota's energy workers, including wind. In August, Heitkamp spoke at the groundbreaking of Excel Energy's Foxtail Wind Farm near Ellendale. In April 2017, she visited LM Wind in Grand Forks to reinforce the importance of supporting wind energy development. In July 2016, she attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Xcel Energy's Border Wind Farm. In April 2015, Heitkamp toured Fargo's 70-year-old Ulteig Engineers to discuss the direly needed build-out of North Dakota's energy infrastructure with a particular focus on providing certainty to wind energy industry workers. In January 2014, Heitkamp toured Iberdrola Wind Farm near Rugby and in May 2013, Heitkamp attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Bison Wind Energy Center near New Salem. She also visited an Otter Tail Power Company and NextEra Energy Resources wind farm near Edgeley in October 2014. Background: Heitkamp has been proactively fighting for smart trade policies to protect North Dakota's economy. From the beginning of this administration, she has taken action by: Pressing top officials since the beginning of this administration to protect and expand markets for North Dakota goods. Heitkamp has met with the U.S. Agriculture Secretary (USDA), U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), U.S Commerce Secretary, and many other top U.S. administration officials many of them several times to explain that the U.S. needs smart trade policies to allow our farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers to reach new markets not tariffs, uncertainty with NAFTA, or hostility toward our top trading partners. Heitkamp recently pushed for improvements to the aid package for farmers suffering from slumping commodity prices and an uncertain future for this season's crop. In February 2017, when she first met with USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, when he was a nominee for the position, the bulk of their conversation focused on trade. Heitkamp recently pushed Jerome Powell, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, on the impact of the administration's trade war on the U.S. economy. Powell agreed that imposing tariffs over a sustained period time is the wrong thing to do for the economy. Engaging with North Dakota's critical trading partners like Canada and Mexico. In frequent meetings and phone calls with the Mexican and Canadian Ambassadors to the U.S., Heitkamp has worked to protect the trade relationships that keep North Dakotas export-dependent economy thriving. She recently coordinated a meeting between North Dakota farmers and ranchers and the Mexican ambassador to help maintain their trade relationship amid the uncertainty caused by the administration's trade war and NAFTA renegotiation. Introducing legislation to help farmers and ranchers recover losses they face because of the administration's trade war. In July, Heitkamp introduced legislation that would make Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) available at no additional cost to the existing TAA program to farmers and producers whose exports are hurt by retaliatory tariffs caused by the administration's trade policies. She also introduced a bill to direct funds the government is collecting from tariffs on imported goods toward trade promotion assistance to help open new markets for farmers and ranchers hurt by the trade war. Gaining input from North Dakotans. Heitkamp has regularly met with folks from North Dakota impacted by trade, including recent meetings in Washington with North Dakota growers of soybeans, corn, barley, and other commodities, as well as manufacturers and small business owners. She has held a series of meetings across the state to gain input from North Dakotans in agriculture, energy, and manufacturing. And she recently launched a web survey to gain input from North Dakotans to help inform how she can best push back on the administration's actions on trade. Raising concerns about impacts of retaliatory tariffs on the manufacturing industry. Heitkamp recently toured WCCO Belting, Inc. in Wahpeton and heard firsthand the concerns the North Dakota manufacturer has about trade wars and its ability to export its goods. Over half of WCCO's sales are to international customers, making trade an essential part of its business model. Speaking out against tariffs and uncertainty regarding NAFTA that would put the state's economy at risk. Heitkamp has met with farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers across North Dakota to talk about the need for smart trade policies that support North Dakota. She penned op-eds in March 2017 and again in April 2018 making the case. In February, she also did an episode on her podcast, The Hotdish, about NAFTA and the importance of trade for agriculture. For the episode, she interviewed the former U.S. agricultural trade negotiator and a North Dakota barley farmer. Heitkamp recently brought a group of North Dakota agriculture leaders to the Mexican Embassy in Washington to talk about the importance of NAFTA and reinforce their commitment to a strong relationship with their customers in Mexico. Pressing for analysis about the impact of the administration's trade policies on small businesses. Heitkamp recently called on the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Office of Advocacy to analyze the impact of the administration's tariff policies on American small businesses. Small businesses represent nearly 99 percent of all businesses in North Dakota, and support nearly 60 percent of all jobs in the state, according to SBA. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |