U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) New York State Director Brian Murray announced that USDA is funding new projects – totaling $18,477,370 across 14 projects throughout rural New York State. These investments seek to lower costs, expand access to clean energy and strengthen American farms and small businesses. This is part of a national announcement where USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced USDA is making the investments through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), a program that has seen record demand in response to historic funding provided by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.
“The Biden-Harris Administration and USDA are ensuring farmers, small business owners and rural communities have the resources they need for the future,” State Director Murray said. “The investments we’ve made and are announcing will help rural communities lead our state and our country toward an economy that benefits working people everywhere with lower costs and clean energy jobs.”
USDA is investing more than $256 million in loans and grants that will support more than 1,100 clean energy projects in 40 states.
Most of the projects being announced today are funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the nation’s largest-ever investment in combating the climate crisis.
Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA has invested more than $2.7 billion through REAP in 9,901 renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements. Almost 7,000 of these projects were funded by over $1 billion provided by the Inflation Reduction Act.
REAP enables agricultural producers and rural small business owners to expand their use of wind, solar, geothermal and small hydropower energy and make energy efficiency improvements. These innovations help them increase their income, grow their businesses and address climate change while lowering energy costs for American families.
Examples in New York include:
- Siva Powers America, Inc. This Rural Development investment of $481,000 in grant funding will be used to help Siva Powers America Inc. purchase and install a 100-kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic system and a wind turbine. Siva Powers America Inc. is a wind turbine assembly company in Lockport, New York, which is located in Niagara County. This project is expected to save $54,342.00 per year. It will generate 494,019 kilowatt hours (kWh) (100 percent of the company's energy use) a year, which is enough energy to power 47 homes.
- Tymetal Corp. This Rural Development investment of $929,887 in grant funding will be used to help Tymetal Corp., a manufacturer of aluminum cantilever gates, crash deterrent gates, municipal leaf vacuums, sanders, spreaders, truck sump bodies, and various metal fabrication in Greenwich, Washington County, New York, install a 749.65kW roof mounted solar array. The project is expected to save $127,191 per year. It will generate 823,446 kilowatt hours (kWh) (84 percent of the company’s energy use) per year, which is enough energy to power 75 homes.
- Russell Farms, Inc. This Rural Development investment of $842,261 in grant funding will be used to help Russell Farms Inc. purchase and install a 749.81-kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic system. Russell Farms Inc., is a diversified crop farm in Burt, New York which is located in Niagara County. This project is expected to save $49,061 per year. It will generate 830,800 kilowatt hours (kWh) (102 percent of the company's energy use) a year, which is enough energy to power 79 homes.
- Kludt Brothers, Inc. This Rural Development investment of $138,661 in grant funding will be used to help Kludt Brothers Inc., a crop farming operation in Kendall, Orleans County, New York. Program funding will be used to install a new grain drying system. This project is expected to save $642 per year. It will generate 14,826 kilowatt hours (kWh) (52 percent of the company's energy use) a year, which is enough energy to power one home.
- Crist Brothers Orchards, Inc. This Rural Development investment of $911,198 in grant funding will be used to help Crist Bros. Orchards Inc., a wholesale apple production business, in Walden, New York, which is located in Orange County. Program funding will be used to install a 744.10 kW ground mounted solar array. The project is expected to save $104,218 per year. It will generate 830,100 kilowatt hours (kWh) (88 percent of the company's energy use) per year, which is enough energy to power 76 homes.
- Rose Hill Road Solar 2, LLC This Rural Development investment of $4,526,000 in loan funding will be used to purchase and install a 2.91 MW solar system. Rose Hill Road Solar 2 LLC is a newly created entity to generate electricity in Skaneateles, New York, which is located in Onondaga County. The system is estimated to produce 4,526,214 kWh per year, which is enough electricity to power 431 homes.
The investments announced today will benefit farmers, entrepreneurs and others in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. REAP is a part of the President’s Justice40 Initiative which sets a goal that 40% of the benefits from certain federal investments go to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. USDA Rural Development 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. Visit the Rural Data Gateway to learn how and where these investments are impacting rural America. To subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit the GovDelivery Subscriber Page.
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.