Link: http://www.usda.gov/2005/09/0372.xml Release No. 0372.05 Ed Loyd (202) 720-4623 Wayne Maloney (202) 690-0498 USDA ANNOUNCES NEARLY $21 MILLION FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY 32 States Receive Funding, Utah Wind Energy Project Receives $500,000 SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 14, 2005- Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced the selection of 150 applicants to receive almost $21 million in USDA Rural Development grant assistance for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in 32 States. "Enhancing America's energy independence is at the core of President Bush's comprehensive national energy policy. That makes energy conservation and clean, renewable sources of domestically produced energy more important than ever," said Johanns. "Renewable energy is also a major growth area for American farmers and a top priority for USDA. Energy conservation and renewable fuels are good for the environment, the economy, and farmers' bottom lines." Johanns made the announcement prior to a Farm Bill Forum in Salt Lake City today that is part of the nationwide listening tour to gather input from the public on farm policy. The renewable energy and energy efficiency projects announced today involve a wide range of wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and conservation technologies. For example, Wasatch Wind, LLC will receive $500,000 in funding for phase one of a wind energy generation project to be located at Spanish Fork Canyon, Utah. Combined with matching funds, the USDA grant will result in the construction of a 1.5 megawatt wind generation tower, the first of 10 towers planned for the site. Synthetic Energy, Inc., of Ketchum, Idaho, will use its grant of $199,863 to purchase wind turbines to power a commercial hydrogen generator. The remaining 148 recipients include farmers, coops, rural small businesses. A list of these recipients can be seen at: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov. USDA Rural Development's mission is to deliver programs in a way that will support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents. As a venture capital entity, Rural Development has invested over $54 billion since the beginning of the Bush Administration to provide equity and technical assistance to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business development, and critical community and technology infrastructure. As a result, over one million jobs have been created or saved through these investments. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov. # USDA News oc.news@xxxxxxxx 202 720-4623 ---------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to oc.news@xxxxxxxx and reference your email address.
