Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced USDA Rural Development has awarded eight Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants to businesses in Maine’s First Congressional District, totaling $320,703. REAP assists rural farms and small businesses in developing renewable energy systems and in making energy-efficient improvements to their operations. 

“Small businesses and farms in rural areas serve as beacons in their communities. Their leadership can set an example for others, and this REAP funding helps make clean energy more accessible in small towns across Maine,” said Pingree. “As a member of both the House Agriculture and House Appropriations Committees, I’ve prioritized robust funding for REAP; this program is incredibly effective at bringing down business costs while simultaneously assisting the switch to renewable energy sources. I’m proud that Maine businesses are taking advantage of this opportunity.”  

Details of the grants are as follows:

• Union Farm Equipment, Union ($19,800): This Rural Development investment will be used for the purchase and installation of a 41.85 kW solar array for Union Farm Equipment, Inc. This project will replace 46,924 kWh (44%) of business energy usage and realize $7,452 of savings annually. 
• Craignair Inn by the Sea, Spruce Head ($12,011): This Rural Development investment will be used for the purchase and installation of a 14.805 kW solar array for Craignair Inn by the Sea. This project will replace 19,809 kWh (60%) of business energy usage and realize $3,453 of savings annually. 
• Bench Dogs, Inc., Washington ($19,875): This Rural Development investment will be used for the purchase and installation of a 38.19 kW solar array for Bench Dogs, Inc. This project will replace 42,065 kWh (96%) of business energy usage and realize $6,878 of savings annually.
• Q-Team, Inc., Naples ($15,998): This Rural Development investment will be used for the purchase and installation of an outdoor wood boiler for Q-Team, Inc. This project will replace 145 MMBTU (95%) of business energy usage and realize $3,723 of savings annually.
• Bradbury Mountain Metalworks, LLC, Pownal ($2,630): This Rural Development investment will be used for the purchase and installation of a 6.48 kW solar array for Bradbury Mountain Metalworks, LLC. This project will replace 7,605 kWh (100%) of business energy usage and realize $911 of savings annually. 
• Natural Selection, Inc., Brunswick ($21,240): This Rural Development investment will be used for the purchase and installation of a 63.875 kW solar array for Natural Selection, Inc. This project will replace 75,440 kWh (22%) of business energy usage and realize $10,169 of savings annually. 
• Goronson Farm, Scarborough ($10,907): This Rural Development investment will be used for the purchase and installation of a 19.935 kW solar array for Goronson Farm. This project will replace 30,265 kWh (over 100%) of business energy usage and realize $2,843 of savings annually. 
• Isle Au Haut Electric Power Co., Isle Au Haut ($218,242): This Rural Development investment will be used for the purchase and installation of a 311.44 kW solar array for Isle au Haut Electric Company. This project will replace 420,000 kWh, supplying 100% of the island's electricity for the next 25 years, and realize $88,000 of savings annually. 

Congresswoman Pingree sits on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, which oversees discretionary funding for USDA programs like REAP. She is the author of the Agriculture Resilience Act, comprehensive legislation that sets a bold vision of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in U.S. agriculture by the year 2040, in part by boosting investments in on-farm and rural clean energy initiatives with programs like REAP.

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