WASHINGTON, DC (September 19, 2012) In what will be the biggest single layoff to date in number of workers and states affected in the U.S., wind equipment manufacturer Siemens Energy Inc. announced Tuesday it will lay off 615 workers in Iowa, Kansas, and Florida in part due to Congress’ inaction on renewing the Production Tax Credit. The following is a statement from BlueGreen Alliance Executive Director David Foster:

“Today after only a few days of legislative work since they came back from their month-plus recess, House members again prepare to leave until November to campaign for their own jobs while leaving thousands of wind industry workers out to dry. This is not the time for Congress to give up on these American workers, it is the time for Congress to stand up for them.

“This layoff announcement now brings total preventable job losses in the wind industry to almost 2,000 workers. Congress cannot leave the work of renewing the Production Tax Credit unfinished any longer. Going another month, or another week, without renewing this vital job-creating tax incentive is simply unacceptable. Renew the Production Tax Credit now so that wind industry workers can continue to receive a paycheck and not a pink slip.”