Schumer blasts funds for China turbines

WASHINGTON D.C. -  A Democratic senator is calling on the Obama administration to reject an expected request for federal economic stimulus money as part of a $1.5 billion West Texas wind energy project because he says it will generate Chinese, not American, jobs.

The U.S.-China venture, announced last week, would erect 240 huge Chinese-manufactured wind turbines on 36,000 acres in West Texas, with the Export-Import Bank of China committed to handle most of the financing.

But Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said the project reportedly may also be seeking 30 percent funding from economic stimulus grants from the Energy Department -- funds he said would used to buy turbines and other components made in a Chinese plant.

"The idea that stimulus funds would be used to create jobs overseas is quite troubling," Schumer wrote in a letter to be sent Thursday to Energy Secretary Steven Chu. The senator urged Chu to reject any request for funds from the Texas project.

"The purpose of the (stimulus program) was to jump start the economy to create and save jobs -- American jobs," the senator wrote. "Yet the Texas wind farm project would create an estimated 2,000-3,000 clean energy manufacturing jobs in China. ... American taxpayer dollars should not be used to finance those Chinese jobs."