CARSON CITY, Nev., August 30, 2023 -- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Nevada State Director Lucas Ingvoldstad today announced that USDA is awarding over $1.1 million in grants to agriculture producers and rural small businesses in rural Nevada to make investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements that will lower their energy costs, generate new income, and strengthen the resilience of their operation. 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.
"Ensuring rural communities can both participate in and benefit from the clean energy economy is a key commitment of the Biden-Harris administration," said Ingvoldstad. "We're proud to see that commitment honored by investments in rural Nevada, whether in helping power community institutions or reducing energy costs in rural agriculture. These successes provide a blueprint for not only the rest of the state, but the rest of the country."
The recipients are listed below.
- Storm's Oasis Dairy in Battle Mountain will use a $540, 900 investment to purchase and install a photovoltaic system that will generate approximately 672,473 kilowatt hours (kWh) a year for Storm's Oasis Dairy. The system will supply power to a 300-horsepower motor which powers a well that pumps water to hay fields used as feed for the dairy farm. It is estimated this project will save the farm $44,979.00 in utility savings in year one.
- Railroad Valley Farms in Tonopah will use a $561, 209 investment to convert two diesel-powered irrigation wells to hybrid solar/diesel electric pumping stations as part of 854,126-kilowatt hour (kWh) photovoltaic solar irrigation phase II. It is estimated this change will reduce fuel consumption by up to 70 percent. The recipient's farmland is completely off grid.
- Nevada Bank and Trust LLC in Mesquite will use a $40,000 investment to help purchase solar panels for rooftop and car park usage. With a 30-year lifespan, the panels will deliver a 98 percent carbon footprint reduction. The project annually is anticipated to save the business $6,600 in energy costs and produce 52,000 kilowatt hours (kWh).
- IC Breakout LLC in Palomino Valley will use a $12,000 investment to purchase three 30.72 kilowatt (kW) batteries for IC Breakout LLC, an electronic-circuit-board manufacturer. Guaranteed for 19 years, the batteries promote clean energy use. The project annually will save approximately $2,196 in energy costs.
USDA is investing $266 million in 1,334 renewable energy and energy-efficiency projects in 47 states, Guam and Puerto Rico. The Department is awarding the loans and grants through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), including funding from the landmark Inflation Reduction Act.
Since December 2022, USDA has made up to $1.3 billion available in REAP funding through the Inflation Reduction Act. Eligible applicants include rural small business owners and agricultural producers. The program is part of the Justice40 Initiative, which is working to ensure that 40 percent of the benefits of certain federal investments reach communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution and underinvestment.
The funding announced today is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, a key pillar of Bidenomics, to grow the American economy from the middle-out and bottom up – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to driving over $500 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, to creating good-paying jobs and building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.
USDA is making awards in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming, Guam and Puerto Rico.
The Department expects to make additional awards in the coming months.
USDA continues to accept applications and will hold funding competitions quarterly through Sept. 30, 2024. The funding includes $144.5 million for underutilized renewable energy technologies. For additional information on application deadlines and submission details, see page 19239 of the March 31 Federal Register.
Background: Inflation Reduction Act
As a core pillar of Bidenomics and the President’s Investing in America agenda, the Inflation Reduction Act makes the largest investment in climate action in history and is lowering energy costs, bringing opportunity to communities across America and tackling the climate crisis through investments in agriculture, forest restoration, and rural communities.
The Biden-Harris Administration championed the Inflation Reduction Act to help provide new funding and unprecedented incentives to expand clean energy, transform rural power production, create jobs and spur economic growth. It is the largest single investment in rural electrification since the Rural Electrification Act of 1936.
Through the Inflation Reduction Act, the Administration is delivering on its promise to fight climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions across America.
It provides funding to USDA Rural Development to help eligible organizations invest in renewable energy infrastructure and zero-emission systems and make energy-efficiency improvements that will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
It will boost the long-term resiliency, reliability and affordability of rural electric systems. It will help families save money on utility bills, and it will expand rural opportunities in the clean- energy economy.
For more information on the Inflation Reduction Act, visit: www.rd.usda.gov/inflation-reduction-act.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, visit www.rd.usda.gov or contact the nearest USDA Rural Development state office.
USDA 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.
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