Local projects included in nationwide funding for renewable energy
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the Department is investing $464 million to build or improve renewable energy infrastructure (PDF, 631 KB) and to help rural communities, agricultural producers and businesses lower energy costs in 48 states and Puerto Rico.
“USDA continues to prioritize climate-smart infrastructure to help rural America build back better, stronger and more equitably than ever before,” Vilsack said. “We recognize that lowering energy costs for small businesses and agricultural producers helps to expand economic development and employment opportunities for people in America’s rural towns and communities. The investments we are announcing today demonstrate how the Biden-Harris Administration has put rural communities at the heart of climate action and climate-smart solutions.”
According to a release, USDA is financing $129 million of these investments through the Rural Energy for America Program.
This program provides funding to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements.
Officials state that these climate-smart investments will conserve and generate more than 379 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) in rural America, which equates to enough electricity to power 35,677 homes per year.
USDA is financing $335 million of these investments through the Electric Loan Program. The loans will help build or improve 1,432 miles of line to strengthen reliability in rural areas. The loans include $102 million for investments in smart grid technology, which uses digital communications to detect and react to local changes in electricity usage.
The department is announcing investments today in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming and Puerto Rico.
While 19 projects were included within Washington, two are specifically in Grays Harbor. Of the grants for our area, one involves grant funding to help purchase and install an LED lighting retrofit of a commercial building in downtown Aberdeen. This project is expected to bring $1,500 per year in savings, and will save 12,714 kilowatt hours per year, which is enough electricity to power one home.
The other local project will use a grant to purchase and install a 5.28 kilowatt solar array in Elma that is estimated to produce 4,474 kilowatts per year reducing gas use.
| State | Sen. | Rep. | Recipient | Loans | Grants | Project Description |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Jaime Herrera Beutler (03) | Dirt Hugger LLC | $7,838 | This Rural Development investment will be used to help purchase and install a 23 kilowatt solar array. This investment will save $2,236 per year and replace 30,680 kilowatt hours (72 percent) per year. This project will save enough electricity to power two homes. replace 30,680 kilowatt hours (72 percent) per year. This project will save enough electricity to power two homes. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Rick Larsen (02) | D & S Baker Incorporated | $10,652 | This Rural Development investment will be used to help purchase and install a 16.8 kilowatt photovoltaic solar array.This investment will save an estimated 18,155 kilowatt hours in business energy offset and $2,100 each year in savings, which is enough electricity to power two homes. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Rick Larsen (WA 02) | LSX Properties LLC | $9,267 | This Rural Development investment will be used to help LLC purchase and install a 16.4 kilowatt photovoltaic solar array. This investment will save an estimated 15,419 kilowatt hours in energy offsets and $1,696.09 each year in savings, which is enough electricity to power one home. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Rick Larsen (02) | Island Wheels LLC | $6,179 | This Rural Development investment will be used to help purchase and install a 11.7 kilowatt photovoltaic solar array. This investment will generate an estimated 10,602 kilowatt hours in energy offset and $1,177 of revenue each year, which is enough electricity to power one home. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Rick Larsen (02) | F&H Island Holdings Incorporated | $4,853 | This Rural Development investment will be used to help purchase and install a 7.5 kilowatt photovoltaic solar array. The investment will save an estimated 9,988 kilowatt hours in business energy offset and $999 each year in savings, which is enough electricity to power one home. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Suzan DelBene (01) | Ivan Bacus | $12,965 | This Rural Development investment will be used to help Fossil Ridge Properties purchase and install a 20.8 kilowatt photovoltaic solar array. This investment will save an estimated 20,566 kilowatt hours in business energy offset and $2,159 each year in savings, which is enough electricity to power two homes. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Rick Larsen (02) | Hima Nursery Incorporated | $10,901 | This Rural Development investment will be used to help purchase and install a 33 kilowatt photovoltaic solar array. This investment will save an estimated 35,275 kilowatt hours in business energy offset and $3,175 each year in savings, which is enough electricity to power three homes. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Suzan DelBene (01) | Nolan’s Roofing Incorporated | $5,278 | This Rural Development investment will be used to help purchase and install a 20 kilowatt photovoltaic solar array. This investment will generate an estimated 20,598 kilowatt hours and $2,060 of revenue each year, which is enough electricity to power one home. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Suzan DelBene (01) | Monkey Puzzle Farm LLC | $9,506 | This Rural Development investment will be used to help purchase and install a 14.9 kilowatt photovoltaic solar array roof mount. This investment will save an estimated 15,563 kilowatt hours in energy offsets and $1,400 each year in savings, which is enough electricity to power one and half home. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Rick Larsen (02) | Orcas Excavators Incorporated | $5,708 | This Rural Development investment will be used to help purchase and install a 9.48 kilowatt solar array. Orcas Excavators Incorporated is an Excavation Company Serving San Juan County, Washington. The grantee will realize an estimated 11,022 kilowatt hours in business energy offset and $1,201.40 each year in savings, which is enough electricity to power one home. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Rick Larsen (02) | Hayton Organics Incorporated | $9,070 | This Rural Development investment will be used to help purchase and install a 9.48 kilowatt solar array. Orcas Excavators Incorporated is an Excavation Company Serving San Juan County, Washington. The grantee will realize an estimated 11,022 kilowatt hours in business energy offset and $1,201.40 each year in savings, which is enough electricity to power one home. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Derek Kilmer (06) | Alexander Dunsire | $1,729 | This Rural Development investment will be used to help purchase and install an LED lighting retrofit of a commercial building leased by Dominate Print LLC from Alexander Dunsire. The project is located in a high poverty census tract in downtown Aberdeen, Washington. This project will realize $1,500 per year in savings, and will save 12,714 kilowatt hours per year, which is enough electricity to power one home. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Kim Schrier (08) | Weidenbach Family LLC | $17,450 | Rural Development funds will be used to help fund the purchase and installation of a 26 kW PV solar array. Weidenbach Family LLC is an insurance broker in Ellensburg, WA. The grantee will realize an estimated 34,848 kWh in business energy offset which is enough electricity to power two homes. The purpose of this funding program is to assist farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses in developing renewable energy systems and making energy-efficiency improvements to their operations. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Suzan DelBene (01) | The Growing Garden LLC | $5,635 | This Rural Development investment will be used to help fund the purchase and installation of a 13.4 kilowatt Solar Array Roof Mount. Growing Garden, LLC is a small, organic herb and vegetable farm in Whatcom county. The grantee will realize an estimated 8,870 kilowatt hours in energy offsets and $1037 each year in savings.The purpose of this funding program is to assist farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses in developing renewable energy systems and making energy-efficiency improvements to their operations. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Rick Larsen (02) | Orchards Gardens and Irrigation LLC | $3,368 | This Rural Development investment will be used to help purchase and install a 5.8 kilowatt solar array. Orchards Gardens and Irrigation LLC is a landscaping company in rural San Juan County, Washington. The grantee will realize an estimated 4,569 kilowatt hours in business energy offset and $447.76 each year in savings, which is enough electricity to power one home. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Rick Larsen (02) | San Juan Oriental Medicine Clinic Incorporated | $9,339 | This Rural Development investment will be used to help San Juan Orienta lMedicine Clinic Incorporated., an acupuncture practitioner in rural San Juan County,WA, purchase and install a 13.9 kilowatt solar array. The grantee will realize an estimated 11,236 kilowatt hours in business energy offset and $1,224.72 each year in savings, which is enough electricity to power one home. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Kim Schrier (08) | Windmill Gardens LLC | $19,750 | This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 52kilowatt solar array. Windmill Gardens LLC is a large scale lettuce produce in Pierce County utilizing greenhouse hydroponic technologies, will replace 33,319 kilowatt hours per year and save this business $3,400 per year in utility costs. This project will save enough electricity to power three homes. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Rick Larsen (02) | Timothy Judkins | $6,708 | This Rural Development investment will be used to help fund the purchase and installation of a 7.92 kilowatt solar array. Timothy Judkins is a hay farmer operating on San Juan Island, WA. The grantee will generate an estimated 7,863 kilowatt hours and $909 of revenue each year, which is enough electricity to power one home. The purpose of this funding program is to assist farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses in developing renewable energy systems and making energy-efficiency improvements to their operations. | |
| WA | Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray | Derek Kilmer (06) | Freedom Acres Kennels LLC | $7,387 | This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 5.28 kilowatt solar array Incorporated including battery storage to this off grid property. Freedom Acres Kennels LLC in Elma, Gray Harbor County, Washington is owned by a veteran. The system is estimated to produce 4,474 kilowatts per year reducing gas use in generator. |
To learn more about these and other resources for rural areas, contact a USDA Rural Development state office.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
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