Secretary Vilsack announced nearly $600 million will go towards upgrading rural infrastructure.
A large portion will come from the Inflation Reduction Act, and Vilsack says it will fight climate change while lowering energy costs.
“The Inflation Reduction Act makes a historic investment in clean energy for rural America, up to $1 billion of rural utility service loans for renewable energy infrastructure, more than $2 billion being made available for this Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). We are announcing today our intent to essentially make available $300 million of additional opportunity in the REAP program, $250 million of which will be coming from sort of the first installment and investment under the Inflation Reduction Act, and over $2 billion being made available to rural development for the Rural Energy for America Program.”
USDA will accept grant applications through March. Applications for energy audit and development assistance will be accepted through January.
