The Biden administration announced Wednesday $375 million in funding for renewable energy projects, predominantly through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The funding, announced by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, includes $275 million through the Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program, an IRA program devoted to renewable electrification in rural areas.
The funds will go to communities in Alaska, Arizona, Kentucky and Nebraska.
The two largest awards will go to battery energy storage systems in Fairbanks, Alaska, and the Soldotna Substation in Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, both of which will receive $100 million.
PACE will also put $55.2 million toward three battery storage projects in Benson, Ariz., $16.6 million for a hydroelectric plant on the Kentucky River and $3.6 million toward a community solar facility in Madison, Neb.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will also award $100 million in grants and loans through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) across 39 states and Puerto Rico.
The largest of these will include more than $84,000 in grants for heating mats and LED lighting in Auxvasse, Mo., and an $82,000 grant for an energy-efficient grain dryer in St. Lawrence County, N.Y.
REAP, which will keep applications open through the end of September, has awarded more than $2 billion since the beginning of the Biden administration.
“We are excited to partner with hundreds more family farms and small businesses as well as rural electric cooperatives and local clean energy developers to address the impacts of climate change, grow the economy and keep rural communities throughout the country strong and resilient,” Vilsack said in a statement.
Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, we’re Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.
Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah) will be the Republican nominee for Senate in Utah to succeed retiring Sen. Mitt Romney (R), according to a projection from Decision Desk HQ.
As many municipal landfills belch out gas from decomposing organic matter, they are also releasing toxic “forever chemicals” into the air, a new study has found.
As climate-fueled disasters kill thousands of Americans each year, state and local prosecutors have a strong case to charge major oil companies with homicide, a new report argues.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is slated to vote Thursday on approval for the Calcasieu Pass 2 (CP2) gas export terminal
The House Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on four oceans and fisheries bills.
The House Energy & Commerce Committee will hold a full committee markup hearing on 11 bills, including legislation that would overturn Biden administration regulations on power plants, cars, trucks and air pollution.
What We're Reading
News we've flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:
Justice Samuel Alito railed against the White House in a dissenting Supreme Court opinion Wednesday, accusing the Biden administration of leading a “campaign to coerce Facebook” when it attempted to moderate misinformation on the COVID-19 pandemic on social media. Read more
Nearly 300 types of canned coffee distributed nationwide are being recalled over botulism concerns, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Read more
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