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Howard A. Cooper

Partner

Washington, D.C.
Business Phone: 202.274.2878
Business Fax: 202.654.5688

howard.cooper@troutmansanders.com

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Howard advises energy companies on a wide range of tax matters. This assistance includes controversy work against the Internal Revenue Service, providing tax-related planning advice to large corporate clients, and helping clients obtain the benefits of various tax incentives related to energy matters, including production tax credits, investment tax credits, Treasury grants in lieu of tax credits and accelerated depreciation. Howard is the editor of the Washington Developments Tax Service by which the firm advises companies from all segments of the electric utility industry on emerging legislative, administrative and judicial developments of particular relevance to electric companies.

Howard also advises the Edison Electric Institute and electric utilities on legislative and regulatory matters and has been very involved in advising the industry on issues relating to electric energy and tax legislation. In addition, Howard advises a number of electric companies with respect to the issuance of tax-exempt bonds.

Representative Experience
Electric utilities on tax issues relating to the development and acquisition of solar facilities.

The electric industry trade association on legislative proposals involving the tax credits for biomass.

A subsidiary of an electric utility on issues relating to obtaining Treasury grants in lieu of Tax Credits for wind facilities.

A private equity fund in the acquisition of two companies owning interests in facilities generating electricity from landfill gas.

A Fortune 50 company in renewable energy equity investments in a biomass project.

A developer in the development of geothermal electric generating facilities.

Large institutional parties in the purchase and disposition of two biomass generating facilities.

An electric utility in attempting to obtain allocation from the Internal Revenue Service of clean coal credits.

Various developers in structuring power purchase agreements and leases with respect to solar electric generating facilities.

A large construction company on the privatization of a toll road.

Large electric utilities with respect to the issuance of tax-exempt bonds to finance solid waste disposal facilities at electric generation plants.

A state university in the development of an electric generating facility using landfill gas.

Recent Presentations and Speaking Engagements
November 2009, Renewable Energy Finance Summit, panel on Status and Outlook for the Tax Grant Program, moderator on panel with Ellen Neubauer (Program Manager, Office of the Fiscal Assistant Secretary, US Department of the Treasury) and Charles Ramsey (Branch Chief, IRS Office of Chief Counsel).

October 2009 Meeting of the Energy Tax Council, two presentations: Renewables/Credits, Grants, and Depreciation; Legislative Proposals for Biomass Facilities and Electric Plug-in Vehicles

April 2009 Meeting of the Energy Tax Council: Certain Renewable Energy Incentives

March 2009, Troutman Sanders Seminar on Energy Support in the Stimulus Bill: Certain Renewable Energy Incentives for Business

October 2008 Meeting of the Energy Tax Council: Recent Cases and Rulings

April 2008 Meeting of the Energy Tax Council, two presentations: Bonus Depreciation II; Recent Cases and Rulings

October 2007 Meeting of the Energy Tax Council, two presentations: Legislative Update; Smart Meters - Tax Legislation, What Would Qualify

April 2007 Meeting of the Energy Tax Council, two presentations: New Developments and Current Issues Relating to Selected Tax Credits for Electricity Generation; Recent Cases and Rulings

October 2006 Meeting of the Energy Tax Council, Proposed Regulations on Code Section 263(a) - Amounts Paid to Acquire, Produce, or Improve Tangible Property

March 2006 Meeting of the Energy Tax Council, New Proposed Regulations on Normalization Issues

November 2005 Meeting of the Edison Electric Institute Taxation Committee, Technical Description of Certain Energy Tax Provisions in the Energy Policy Act of 2005

September 2005 Thelen seminar on the Energy Policy Act of 2005; drafted chapter in booklet on Certain Energy Tax Provisions and gave presentation on this chapter

June 2005 Meeting of the Edison Electric Institute Taxation Committee, two presentations: The New Section 45 Credit - Tax Benefits for Electricity Produced from Renewable Resources; Substance Over Form - The Economic Substance Doctrine

April 2005 Meeting of the Energy Tax Council, two presentations: Overview of Recent IRS and Case Developments; Code Section 45 Credits

Recent Publications
October 2009 issue of Tax Analysts, Tax Credit for Electricity From Renewables — Updated

Tax Analysts Special Supplement in Energy (November 27, 2006). Using Tax Incentives to Modernize the Nation's Electric System.

September 2005 issue of North American Wind Power, Clean Renewable Energy Bonds - Another Tax Incentive for Renewables in the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

July 18, 2005 issue of Tax Notes, The New and Improved Credit for Electricity Produced from Renewable Resources.

Work Experience
Partner, Troutman Sanders LLP, since December 2009
Partner, Thelen LLP (and predecessor firms), 1994-November 2008
Associate, Reid & Priest LLP (a predecessor to Thelen LLP), 1987-1993
Attorney, Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Competition, 1980-1986

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Education

  • Georgetown University, LL.M., 1987
    Taxation
  • University of Virginia, J.D., 1980
  • University of North Carolina, B.S., 1977
    Business Administration


Bar Admissions

  • District of Columbia


Memberships

  • Member, Energy Tax Council