WESTBY, WI, Sept. 5, 2024 – During a visit to Wisconsin today, President Joe Biden and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack will announce more than $7.3 billion in financing for rural electric cooperatives to build clean energy for rural communities across the country through the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program. Together, New ERA and other investments in rural clean energy in the President’s Inflation Reduction Act make up the largest investment in rural electrification since President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act into law in 1936 as part of the New Deal.
Collectively, the 16 selections announced today – funded by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda – will leverage private investments of more than $29 billion to build more than 10 gigawatts of clean energy for rural communities across the country. The selectees announced today will reduce and avoid at least 43.7 million tons of greenhouse gases annually, equivalent to removing more than 10 million cars off the road every year.
“Under the Biden-Harris Administration, we are supporting a more prosperous future for rural communities by speeding up the transition to clean energy while at the same time keeping monthly bills low and investing in the American workforce with new jobs and apprenticeships,” said Secretary Vilsack. “One in five rural Americans will benefit from these clean energy investments, thanks to partnerships with rural electric cooperatives like Dairyland. Put simply, this is rural power, for rural America.”
“The Inflation Reduction Act makes the largest investment in rural electrification since FDR and the New Deal in the 1930s,” said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy. “Today’s awards will bring clean, affordable, reliable power to rural Americans all across our nation.”
These projects will create good-paying jobs, lower energy costs for rural communities, significantly reduce pollution, enhance the resiliency of the nation’s electric grid, and advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative. The 16 selectees will use New ERA funds to:
- Deliver cleaner, more affordable and more resilient electricity to approximately 5 million households across 23 states.
- Support more than 4,500 permanent jobs and 16,000 construction jobs.
- Reduce pollution by 2.9 billion tons over the lifetime of projects.
- Build or purchase over 10 gigawatts of clean energy.
- Build 1,892 megawatt hours of battery storage.
The first round of selectees includes:
- Allegheny Electric Cooperative Inc., Pennsylvania and New Jersey
- Arizona Electric Power Cooperative Inc., Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico
- Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Montana North Dakota and South Dakota
- Buckeye Power Inc., Ohio
- CORE Electric Cooperative Colorado
- Dairyland Power Cooperative Wisconsin Iowa Illinois Minnesota
- East Kentucky Power Cooperative Kentucky
- Golden Valley Electric Association Alaska
- Great River Energy Minnesota North Dakota Wisconsin
- Hoosier Energy Indiana Michigan
- Minnkota Power Cooperative North Dakota Minnesota
- San Miguel Electric Cooperative Inc Texas
- Seminole Electric Cooperative Inc Florida
- Tri-State Generation Transmission Association Inc Colorado New Mexico Nebraska Wyoming
- United Power Colorado
- Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative Michigan
More information about these selections can be found here.
Today’s announcement includes nearly $573 million in grant and loan funding for Dairyland Power Cooperative under New ERA program guidelines.
Dairyland plans a total investment of $2.1 billion including eight power purchase agreements four solar installations four wind power installations across its service territory
Dairyland's strong partnership with labor continues on these projects involving groups such as International Brotherhood Electrical Workers Northern Wisconsin Building Construction Trades Wisconsin Building Trades Council Wisconsin Pipe Trades Association The project also features Farmer Benefit Plan Union Engagement Plan co-designed stakeholders Community Benefit Plan developed support University Wisconsin-Madison Clean Energy Community Initiative
USDA Rural Development provides loans grants help expand economic opportunities create jobs improve quality life millions Americans' assistance supports infrastructure improvements business development housing community facilities such schools public safety healthcare high-speed internet access Visit Rural Data Gateway learn how where investments impacting These efforts align USDA programs inclusivity accessibility availability benefits felt generations Many programs part advancing environmental justice ensuring overall benefits reach disadvantaged marginalized underinvestment overburdened pollution
USDA impacts lives positively transforming food system focusing resilient local regional production fairer markets ensuring access safe healthy nutritious food building new markets streams income climate-smart practices making historic infrastructure commitments equity representative workforce Learn www.usda.gov
USDA expects continue making awards coming months Subscribe updates GovDelivery subscriber page
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