Small towns are known for being close-knit communities where neighbors help neighbors, but we don’t often hear about federal programs that offer seed money to grow multiple businesses and boost local economic development in the process.

Jennifer Ledford has quite literally put her personal stamp on the business she operates in downtown Waynesboro. After starting small with a home embroidery machine, she now works in a variety of mediums to make customers’ ideas come to life.

“It was hard to find cute clothes for my son when he was young,” said Ledford. “I actually made Bob the Builder aprons for his third birthday party with all the kid’s names on them and the parents just thought that was the coolest thing.

The proposed project is a 2.5-megawatt solar photovoltaic facility on 15 acres of a previously disturbed agricultural site in Olmsted County, Kalmar, Minnesota.

Staff Assignment Name: Maria Tur
Project Submittal Date: 12/13/24
Project Approval Date: 2/20/25
DOE CE Applied: B5.16

Brief Project Description    Construction of a 4 MW solar electric generation facility that will be sited on approximately 26 acres near the intersection of Heritage Way and 10th Avenue SW, Bremer County, Waverly, Iowa. The Project site consists of agricultural land cultivated for soybean crops.

Staff Assignment Name: Maria Tur
Project Submittal Date: 10/10/24
Project Approval Date: 2/20/25
DOE CE Applied: B5.16

The Project is a proposed 3-megawatt solar photovoltaic facility located on a parcel that has been previously disturbed for agriculture activities. The Project is located in the Town of Mondovi, Buffalo County, Wisconsin.

Staff Assignment Name: Alan Hachey
Project Submittal Date: 1 2/17/24
Project Approval Date: 2/13/25
DOE CE Applied: B5.16

The proposed project is a proposed 4.99 megawatt solar photovoltaic facility located on a parcel that has been previously disturbed for agriculture activities. The Project is located in the Town of Barre, Washington County, Vermont.

Staff Assignment Name: Maria Tur
Project Submittal Date: 11/22/24
Project Approval Date: 2/11/25
DOE CE Applied: B5.16

The proposed project is a 2.25 megawatt solar photovoltaic facility located on a parcel in the City of Spooner, Washburn County, Wisconsin. A portion of the Project area was previously used as a storage/borrow site for winter road sand and gravel. The site is otherwise vacant, industrially zoned land which is adjacent to an existing solar array.

Staff Assignment Name: Maria Tur
Project Submittal Date: 11/22/24
Project Approval Date: 2/11/25
DOE CE Applied: B5.16

CHAMPAIGN, IL. Jesus Ortega was recently appointed as the IL State Director for USDA Rural Development.

Brief Project Description: Stage Moose Solar, LLC proposes to construct the Whitewater Solar Project (Project), a  2-megawatt solar photovoltaic facility located on a parcel in the Southwest Quarter of Section 3, Township 108 North, Range 11 West, Town of Plainfield, Wabasha County, Minnesota.  The current site is an open field that has been previously disturbed for agriculture activities and therefore, would require minimal grading. The disturbance of land would be limited to the approximately 15-acre Project area during construction.

Brief Project Description: The Project area is currently fallow land which will require minimal grading.  According to historical aerial imagery, the Project Area was used for agricultural and timber production until approximately 2012, when the parcel was cleared of vegetation. Since then, the Project Area has remained fallow land. The disturbance of land would be limited to the approximately 20-acre Project area during construction.

Project Submittal Date: DEC  2024
Project Approval Date: JAN2025
DOE CE Applied: B5.16