U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited two communities in Arizona today to highlight U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) investments aimed at protecting communities and natural resources from wildfire and drought, expanding access to clean energy, creating jobs, and building stronger, more resilient communities.

“The Biden-Harris Administration understands that Western states like Arizona face unique challenges related to our changing climate,” said Secretary Vilsack. “We are investing historic resources in innovative solutions to help Arizona communities reduce wildfire risk and adapt in the face of drought. At the same time, we are looking to the future by investing in clean energy infrastructure, creating new jobs, and building prosperity in rural communities.”

In Marana, Secretary Vilsack hosted an Investing in America Town Hall at Trico Electric Cooperative attended by 150 Arizonans. During the event, he highlighted last week’s announcement of $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. Funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, this investment is the largest in rural electrification since 1936.

As part of this financing, Arizona Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO) has been selected to receive approximately $485 million to transform their power portfolio with large-scale investments in renewable power and energy storage throughout Arizona and the Southwest. These projects aim to reduce pollution by more than 1 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions without sacrificing electricity reliability or affordability. AEPCO also plans to expand consumer-based energy efficiency in rural communities and establish agrivoltaic educational programs so farmers can benefit from clean energy projects.

Ultimately, AEPCO’s projects will enable over $3 billion of investment, benefiting approximately 40 electric cooperatives and public power utilities across the Southwest. This investment is expected to create approximately 600 new jobs during construction and 30 new long-term jobs through local worker retraining and a renewable jobs apprenticeship program with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and local community colleges.

Additionally, Secretary Vilsack highlighted other clean energy investments made through USDA Rural Development programs:

- **Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE):** Thanks to funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, USDA has funded two PACE projects in Arizona that make clean, affordable, and reliable energy accessible to rural communities. Trico Electric Cooperative received $83.5 million to expand its battery energy storage system capacity and provide reliable electricity to growing populations around Tucson and the Pascua Yaqui Reservation; Sierra Southwest Electric Cooperative received $55.2 million for three battery energy storage system projects totaling 35 megawatts.

- **Rural Energy for America Program (REAP):** Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA has invested $57.6 million through REAP into 50 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that help rural business owners in Arizona lower energy costs, generate new income streams, and strengthen operational resilience.

Earlier today in Tempe, Secretary Vilsack joined Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego at Salt River Project for a roundtable discussion with local stakeholders who have experienced extreme heat impacts from wildfires as well as long-term droughts leading to water scarcity issues. During this session he emphasized several key investments aimed at increasing wildfire resilience and water savings:

- **Wildfire Crisis Strategy:** Under this strategy launched by USDA’s Forest Service during the Biden-Harris Administration targeting areas where wildfire risk poses immediate threats—86 at-risk communities are being addressed via funding provided by both Bipartisan Infrastructure Law & Inflation Reduction Act amounting up-to $247 million towards implementing various risk reduction activities within these regions.

- **Community Wildfire Defense Grants:** Communities within Arizona have received over $7 million from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding via Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) program supporting local partners' efforts towards planning/implementation hazardous fuels work on state/private lands.

- **Water-Saving Commodities:** In August it was announced that USDA would invest about $400 million along with participation from at least eighteen irrigation districts including two based out-of-Arizona namely Central Arizona Irrigation Drainage District located Elroy AZ & Maricopa-Stanfield Irrigation Drainage District situated Maricopa AZ receiving up-to fifteen-million dollars each helping farmers conserve water/build drought resilience while maintaining/creating market opportunities utilizing innovative technologies/farming practices producing commodities capable saving significant amounts valuable resource i.e., "water".

- **Western Water Framework:** Through Natural Resources Conservation Service(NRCS), producers/communities residing within seventeen western states including those belonging Arizonian territory receive assistance managing/preparing effects caused due climate change ensuring sustainable conservation action plan focusing primarily upon Environmental Quality Incentives Program(EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program(CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program(ACEP) Regional Conservation Partnership Program(RCPP).

The USDA continues transforming America's food system under current administration emphasizing resilient local/regional production models ensuring fairer markets safe/nutritious food accessibility across all neighborhoods fostering equitable development removing systemic barriers representing broader American demographic structure workforce involved therein making historical strides infrastructural enhancement particularly concerning renewable sources besides ongoing commitment promoting sustainability equity overall operations department level basis reaching out general populace nationwide alike learn further details visit www.usda.gov