During a visit today to Sodco Inc., USDA Rural Development Under Secretary Dr. Basil Gooden joined State Director Scott Soares to announce nearly $1.5 million in grants to upgrade clean energy systems to lower energy costs for a dozen farms and businesses in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
This funding is made possible in part by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the nation’s largest-ever investment in combatting the climate crisis.
“Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is committed to ensuring farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses are directly benefitting from a clean energy economy,” Under Secretary Gooden said. “Through these investments, USDA is expanding access to renewable energy systems rural communities across Southern New England that will create good-paying jobs and save people money that they can invest back into their businesses and communities.”
“These investments matter to the people who operate these farms and businesses as well as the people who live in Southern New England,” USDA Rural Development State Director Scott Soares said, “The grants provided will enable them to install cost saving clean energy systems that will not only result in substantial cost savings for their operations, but also contribute local renewable energy generation and a healthier environment in their communities and beyond.”
Today, USDA is announcing $1.5 million in grants for 12 farms and businesses through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
Through REAP, USDA provides grants and loans to help ag producers and rural small business owners expand their use of wind, solar and other forms of clean energy and make energy efficiency improvements. These innovations help them increase their income, grow their businesses, address climate change and lower energy costs for American families.
These investments will cut energy costs for farmers and ag producers that can instead be used to create jobs and new revenue streams for people in their communities.
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Categories: New York, Business, Energy