Lone Butte Solar, LLC (Lone Butte Solar) plans to submit a loan application to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to secure a direct loan to own and operate a solar photovoltaic (PV) project in Arizona. The Lone Butte Solar Project (Proposed Action or project) would be a 50-megawatt (MW) solar PV generating facility interconnecting to the existing Lone Butte Substation on Gila River Indian Community (Community or GRIC) land. 

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Heating and cooling is a luxury far too many of us take for granted. Imagine sitting in your kitchen day-after-day wearing two sweatshirts, two pairs of pants, and a stocking cap, just to keep warm.

Well, this was a reality for Washburn resident, Ms. Donna Helton. Ms. Helton had been without a working HVAC since November when she was referred to the East TN Development District (ETDD) for assistance. ETDD is a non-profit that partners with USDA Rural Development – Tennessee to provide assistance to low-income homeowners in the East TN region.

RGV Solar, LLC proposes to construct the Magic Valley Solar Arrays project.  The four proposed project sites are in Cameron, Hidalgo, and Willacy counties, Texas.  The Donna site is 34 acres located southwest of Goolie Road in Donna.  The Harlingen site is 22 acres located southeast of the intersection of Hand Road and Roosevelt Road in Harlingen.  The Raymondville site is 20 acres located east of Valdez Road in Raymondville.  The Brownsville site is 34 acres located southeast of the intersection of Morrison Road and Robindale Road in Brownsville.

What can you do to bring economic development to your rural communities? Is it possible without large corporations or out of town investors that may not understand the needs of your community? Perhaps your community should consider investment cooperatives.

The Lakota phrase mni wasté translates to mean good water, which is what Mni Wasté Water Company’s 13 staff strive to deliver to the residents of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and surrounding area every day.

New Bethlehem Fire Company Attack Unit's new fire truck did not take long to prove its worth. On Nov. 28, just after 6 p.m., the company responded to a barn fire in the furthest possible location in their service area.

The barn was located on a small dirt road that prior to their new pumper truck acquisition was unreachable. The company was the first unit to arrive on scene.

"Boy, you got here quickly," Ed Goth, an emergency medical technician, with the fire company, recalled the property owner saying upon arrival. 

At USDA Rural Development West Virginia, we are advocates for, investors in, and partners to rural communities and the people, businesses, local governments, and organizations within those communities. We’re here to help rural communities overcome obstacles and work with them to make sure they have the tools they need to create a brighter future. Look no further than in Barbour County, West Virginia to find a perfect example of this commitment.

A dream was realized in 1990 when Nowell “Shorty” Hofer began construction on Shorty’s Locker and retail store on the edge of Mitchell. When Shorty passed away from cancer in 2021, he left a hole in the community and an uncertain future for the local meat locker.

Traverse City, Michigan is a rural community on the shores of lake Michigan. A city with a strong year-round recreation economy and a vibrant downtown filled with independent businesses. Many business owners have struggled to locate commercial space, as well as retain employees.