RALEIGH, North Carolina, May 14, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced USDA is investing a $16.5 million to improve electric service to rural residents in three states.
Haywood Electric, based in Waynesville, North Carolina, will utilize a USDA Electric Infrastructure Loan to connect 919 consumers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
In North Carolina portions of the new 70 miles of electric line will benefit residents of Buncombe, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Madison, and Transylvania counties.
In South Carolina the new line will benefit residents of Oconee County.
In Georgia the new line will benefit residents of Raybun County.
“When USDA invests in rural communities, we are supporting hard work that sends a ripple effect across our country,” Vilsack said. “That’s why we champion rural people by investing in critical infrastructure that will build a more resilient power grid for hundreds of thousands of people living and working in rural areas. The investments we’re announcing today demonstrate the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to ensuring that people who live and work in rural areas have every opportunity to succeed — and that they can find those opportunities right at home.”
The announcement was made during President Biden's Infrastructure Week which highlights the progress the Biden-Harris Administration has made to improve American infrastructure through historic funding packages such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.
The investments advance President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, a key pillar of Bidenomics, to grow the American economy from the middle out and bottom up.
Today's announcement was made at the White House's Community in Action: Building a Better America event. The Secretary also announced the availability of $1million in grants through USDA's Rural Community Development Initiative to organizations who will help Puerto Rico Rural Partners Network communities access critical funding to recover from Presidentially declared disasters. This announcement also comes on the heels of the Two-Year Anniversary of the Rural Partners Network which has facilitated nearly $2.8 billion in investments 10 states and Puerto Rico.
USDA is investing $671 million to support projects in 23 states that will lower electric bills for rural families and businesses, while ensuring they have access to clean water, which is essential to the health of every community.
USDA is also providing funding through the Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program to help utility providers and electric cooperatives build and improve electric infrastructure, smart-grid technologies and renewable energy systems.
Funding in today’s announcement will help people living in Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and West Virginia.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, 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 healthcare; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal and high-poverty areas. Visit the to learn how and where these investments are impacting rural America. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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