WASHINGTON, May 12, 2023 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary of Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small today announced that USDA will host a series of webinars on two new Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) programs. The Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) and Empowering Rural America (New ERA) programs are brand new initiatives that will expand clean, affordable, and reliable energy in rural communities (including U.S. territories and Compact of Freely Associated States).
USDA’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is launching these two programs under the IRA by making nearly $11 billion in budget authority available in loans, grants, loan modifications, and partially forgivable loans. This will help electrify rural America with clean, affordable, reliable energy and enhance the quality of life in rural communities.
USDA staff will hold the webinars via Zoom at the following dates and times:
• RUS update on IRA funding:
May 17, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. ET
Register for May 17: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_Da7n930ESYW74IPME2qrSA
• Overview of funding available through IRA:
May 22, 24, 31 and June 1, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET
Register for May 22: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_OdcOvDRORQqIiAzcyaPgWw Register for May 24: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_qQ8s02EIRKSAJDGLSOtpjw Register for May 31: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_leLcZthuRnG_0LG16xI2wQ Register for June 1: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_uGwKsmshShm5puwOT8xtMw
Additional webinars will be scheduled and announced soon.
The Biden-Harris Administration championed the Inflation Reduction Act to help provide new funding and unprecedented incentives to expand clean energy, transform rural power production, create jobs, and spur new opportunities for the people of rural America. It is the largest single investment in rural electrification since the Rural Electrification Act of 1936. For more information about the Inflation Reduction Act, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/inflation-reduction-act. If you would like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit GovDelivery subscriber page.