July 2025 policy update

WASHINGTON, DC, July 16, 2025 – The House Republican Reconciliation Bill, “One Big Beautiful Bill”, was signed into law on July 4th. Community development advocates are celebrating that the New Markets Tax Credit is now permanent and not subject to expiration as has been the case for the last 25 years. This is a huge legislative victory and a celebration for the NMTC advocacy community. The permanency of this credit will allow for continued and uninterrupted investment in economically distressed communities for years to come.

However, the bill also rolls back clean energy credits for wind and solar energy, requiring these projects to begin construction within one year of bill passage, or be placed in service by the end of 2027, to receive the tax credit. Wind and Solar projects that begin construction by July 2026 will have four years to begin operations and receive the credit. NTCIC expects this policy to create a “pull-forward” effect, resulting in an especially active solar marketplace for the next few years. Notably, energy storage and other clean energy projects, including geothermal and hydro, still qualify for the full 48E credit through 2033.

Despite an outpouring of advocacy, no improvements for the Historic Tax Credit were included in the bill, but it is not overlooked that sustained advocacy has positively positioned the HTC to not be targeted for a rollback or elimination as it was in 2017.

There may be opportunities to improve these incentives in a bipartisan tax bill later this year or possibly another reconciliation bill. Our work is not done, and to remain in the tax code and to enact improvements, advocacy must continue and ramp up at the next opportunity for all these important incentives.