Tom Vilsack Secretary of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) | Official Website
Brunswick, Maine, July 26, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced from the Brunswick Farmers Market today that USDA is partnering with farmers and small businesses to expand access to clean energy and lower energy bills through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and the Rural Energy for America Technical Assistance Grant Program. Today, USDA is investing $163 million in loans, grants, and technical assistance that will support 338 clean energy projects in 39 states and Guam. Many of the projects are funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the nation’s largest-ever investment in combating the climate crisis. The projects also advance President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to grow the nation’s economy from the middle out and the bottom up.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is partnering with people in rural communities across our nation to expand access to clean energy and save rural Americans money,” Secretary Vilsack said. “We are hard at work, continuing what we've always done, supporting rural small businesses and farmers as they create jobs for their communities and drive economic prosperity.”
Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA has invested more than $2.2 billion through REAP in 7,566 renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements. These projects will help rural small businesses and farmers lower energy bills by an average of $25,000 a year, generate new renewable energy income and strengthen their resiliency of operations. The energy generated and saved from these projects would provide enough electricity to power more than 630,000 homes over the course of a year.
REAP enables agricultural producers and rural small business owners to expand their use of wind, solar, geothermal, and small hydropower energy and make energy efficiency improvements. These innovations help them increase their income, grow their businesses and address climate change while lowering energy costs for American families.
Here are examples of the awards being announced today:
Coastal Enterprises Inc. (CEI), a community development financial institution in Brunswick, Maine that focuses on environmental justice, will use a $100,000 grant to recruit and assist rural small business owners and agricultural producers to apply for REAP grants prioritizing people in distressed or disadvantaged communities.
T&S Farms Banks County LLC., a poultry farm in Homer, Georgia will use a $158,503 grant to install a solar array expected to save $22,500 per year providing enough energy to power 18 homes.
Cliff’s Inc., a farm machinery repair business in Friesland Wisconsin will use a $16 000 grant to purchase efficient test equipment saving $22 000 per year.
Eastern Utah Disaster LLC., Price Utah will use a $44 000 grant for solar photovoltaic system savings projected at $3 000 annually.
The awards benefit residents across Alaska Alabama Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Delaware Georgia Iowa Idaho Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Missouri Montana North Carolina North Dakota New Jersey Nebraska Nevada New York Ohio Oklahoma Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Vermont Wisconsin Wyoming Guam.
USDA continues accepting REAP applications setting aside funds supporting underutilized renewable technologies like wind geothermal power additional information contact local coordinator complete list online.
USDA Rural Development provides loans grants expanding economic opportunities creating jobs improving quality life millions Americans areas part President's Justice40 initiative goal benefits federal investments disadvantaged communities supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities schools public safety health care high-speed internet access areas visit Data Gateway learn where impacting subscribe updates GovDelivery Subscriber Page.
USDA touches lives all Americans daily positive ways Under Biden-Harris transforming food system greater focus resilient local regional production fairer markets ensuring access safe healthy nutritious food building new streams income using climate-smart practices making historic investments infrastructure capabilities committing equity removing systemic barriers building workforce representative learn more visit www.usda.gov
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