LENEXA, KAN. (APRIL 22, 2024) – The Biden-Harris administration has announced that the Center for Rural Affairs in Nebraska will receive $62.4 million to deliver residential solar, lowering energy costs and advancing environmental justice across the state.
The grant is part of the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund created under President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan stated, "Today we’re delivering on President Biden’s promise that no community is left behind by investing $7 billion in solar energy projects for over 900,000 households in low-income and disadvantaged communities."
EPA Region 7 Administrator Meghan A. McCollister added, “Through the Center for Rural Affairs, EPA is providing meaningful change for our Nebraska communities by reducing or avoiding greenhouse gas emissions, lowering energy bills, and increasing access to clean energy for disadvantaged communities.”
The Solar for All program aims to ensure equitable access to solar power for low-income and disadvantaged households in Nebraska, leading to immediate greenhouse gas reductions, cost savings, and opportunities for ownership. The initiative will support rooftop and multifamily solar, with a focus on low-income households, as well as include a tribal set-aside for collaboration with Nebraska Tribes.
This investment aligns with President Biden’s goal of achieving a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. The program is expected to enable over 900,000 households in low-income communities to benefit from distributed solar energy, resulting in annual savings on electric bills and significant carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions reductions.
Furthermore, the Solar for All program will create an estimated 200,000 jobs across the country, supporting the administration’s commitment to high-quality job creation with opportunities to join a union. The selected applicants have committed to reducing climate and air pollution, delivering benefits to low-income communities, and mobilizing financing to expand affordable solar energy deployment.
The Center for Rural Affairs is among the recipients of the $5.5 billion in state-level awards announced by EPA, emphasizing the administration’s dedication to advancing environmental justice and combating climate change.