PHOENIX, Dec. 8, 2021 – USDA Rural Development Arizona State Director Charlene Fernandez today announced the Department is investing $50,578,000 to reduce the impacts of climate change on rural Arizona communities. As part of the Build Back Better agenda, the Biden-Harris Administration has made investing in rural communities, creating good-paying jobs and combating the climate crisis top priorities.
“The good people of rural Arizona are feeling the effects of climate change and ready to respond,” said Fernandez. “We are proud to support resilient solutions as we invest in rural businesses and agricultural producers to upgrade and improve their energy use and generation.”
These investments will help agricultural producers and rural small businesses purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. Today’s projects are funded through the Rural Energy for America Program:
- Aridus Wine Company LLC will use a $108,361 grant to install a solar photovoltaic system. This investment is projected to save the family-owned winery in Willcox, Arizona nearly $40,000 per year in utility costs.
- Levy Arcadia, LLC will use a $213,645 grant to install a solar photovoltaic system for an assisted living facility in Prescott, Arizona, which will save an estimated $64,000 in annual utility costs. Levy Arcadia, LLC will use an additional $77,980 grant to replace lighting with energy efficient LED lights. This improvement is estimated to save $115,000 in annual utility costs.
- Richard L. Jones Customhouse Broker, a rural business serving the Southwest Arizona-Sonora trade community in San Luis, Arizona, will use a $86,047 grant to install a solar photovoltaic system. The Port of San Luis has become the commercial port of entry choice for moving northbound and southbound containers due to the short lines and reduced waiting time. This system is expected to save the business more than $27,000 on utility costs each year.
- Wholesum Family Farms, Inc. will use a $91,967 grant to install a solar photovoltaic system at their rural greenhouses in Amado, Arizona. The system is expected to save the company more than $40,000 each year in utility costs.
- Butterfield RNG 1, LLC will use a $25,000,000 loan to assist in funding an anaerobic digester facility located at Butterfield Dairy near Gila Bend, Arizona. This facility will convert manure into renewable natural gas and generate enough energy to power 8,462 American homes.
- Maricopa RNG 1, LLC will use a $25,000,000 loan to assist in funding an anaerobic digester facility at the Milky Way Dairy near Maricopa, Arizona. This facility will convert manure into renewable natural gas and generate enough energy to power 11,119 American homes.
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. USDA Rural Development is prioritizing projects that will support key priorities under the Biden-Harris Administration to help rural America build back better and stronger. Key priorities include combatting the COVID-19 pandemic; addressing the impacts of climate change; and advancing equity in rural America. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.