Congress has a great opportunity to amend the tax code in a way which will benefit the environment, promote American jobs, and foster diversity in our energy sources. It can achieve these results by enacting the Master Limited Partnerships Parity Act.

Since the early 1980’s, oil and gas producers have been permitted to use Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs), a favorable tax structure taxing corporations as partnerships to raise over $400 billion in new capital.  Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, have not been able to utilize MLPs.

This legal disparity makes no sense.  It flies in the face of our need to maintain strong renewable energy sources, even as we now have new supplies of oil and natural gas.

The MLP Parity Act of the Senator Coons and Representative Poe, has been endorsed by public policy groups from the Center for American Progress to the Heritage Foundation and by a large number of business groups, from AWEA and SEIA to API.  This statute could unlock significant private sector investment funding.  Members of Congress should be encouraged to enact this valuable legislation.

For more information on the MLP Parity Act, visit the website of the FAIR Coalition, a Coalition of renewable energy firms advocating for MLP parity at faircoalition.com.

Tags: API, AWEA, Center for American Progress, energy sources, environment, FAIR Coalition, favorable tax, Heritage Foundation, Master Limited Partnerships, MLP, MLP Parity Act, oil and gas producers, Parity Act, renewable energy, SEIA, ttax code
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Photo of Allan Topol Allan Topol

Allan Topol is a resident in the firm’s Washington office.  While practicing law with Covington, he has written ten novels of international intrigue and numerous articles dealing with foreign policy issues in The Huffington Post, The New York Times, The Washington Post…

Allan Topol is a resident in the firm’s Washington office.  While practicing law with Covington, he has written ten novels of international intrigue and numerous articles dealing with foreign policy issues in The Huffington Post, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Military.com.

Allan’s law practice has involved extensive civil and criminal litigation, with an emphasis on water, air and major hazardous waste enforcement cases, as well as international environmental law and toxic torts.  He has also advised clients on many of these environmental issues assisting them in dealing with immediate problems as well as developing long term strategies.

In addition, Allan has represented clients in IP and commercial litigation, including patent infringement and contract cases.  He was admitted to the U.S. Patent Office in 1971.

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Photo of Gary S. Guzy Gary S. Guzy

Gary Guzy brings thirty five years of experience in environmental law, regulation, and public policy. He provides counsel to industry leaders in the transportation, energy, technology, and consumer sectors on emerging environmental and clean energy issues. He is skilled at creating strategic partnerships that…

Gary Guzy brings thirty five years of experience in environmental law, regulation, and public policy. He provides counsel to industry leaders in the transportation, energy, technology, and consumer sectors on emerging environmental and clean energy issues. He is skilled at creating strategic partnerships that bring together diverse groups to resolve challenging public policy controversies through close work with industry and environmental community leaders. Gary co-chairs the firm’s Energy Industry Group.

Gary served as Deputy Director and General Counsel of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). In this position, he helped develop and guide the Obama Administration’s environmental, public health, and clean energy agenda, bringing business insights to government policy and coordinating policy across government agencies. He spearheaded negotiations that achieved the Obama Administration’s agreement to double motor vehicle fuel efficiency standards and significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions with the support of automobile manufacturers, states, labor unions, environmental and consumer groups, and Congress. Gary also led CEQ’s efforts to modernize permitting and environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act, and counseled federal agencies on how to fulfill their NEPA obligations for dozens of high profile decisions and assisted in resolving NEPA controversies at numerous complicated sites.

Gary served as General Counsel of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Counselor to the EPA Administrator during the Clinton Administration. He was a member of the Administrator’s senior policy team, setting regulatory, legislative, and communications strategy. He led efforts to design regulatory approaches to protect children’s environmental health, develop and defend new air quality and motor vehicle standards, defend EPA from Congressional oversight investigations, and protect iconic ecosystems such as the Everglades and Yellowstone National Park. He also authored climate change opinions that were later ratified by the U.S. Supreme Court in its landmark decision finding that greenhouse gases are pollutants under federal law.

Gary has also served as the chief legal officer, sustainability officer, and climate strategist for a variety of business organizations.

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