Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced millions of dollars in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for clean energy initiatives across Maine, including $8.7 million to help Maine’s Fox Islands advance their ambitious clean energy goals and more than $5.2 million in Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) funding to support local businesses in their transition to clean energy.
The funding for Fox Islands Electric Cooperative’s (FIEC) project, made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA’s Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program, will fund significant upgrades to the Fox Islands Wind project and the installation of a solar array on Vinalhaven, increasing energy independence, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and lowering energy costs for the rural island communities. The funding will allow the FIEC to modernize its wind turbines and diversify its energy generation with solar power—steps that will help meet growing local energy demands and reduce reliance on mainland power. Pingree wrote to USDA in support of the FIEC project.
"The Fox Islands have been pioneers in rural clean energy since 2008, when nearly 99 percent of cooperative members voted to develop wind power for our islands,” said Pingree. “Now, thanks to this federal funding, North Haven and Vinalhaven will be able to take the next big step forward in energy independence and climate action. By upgrading wind turbines and adding solar power, these rural island communities will be able to meet growing energy demands while significantly reducing both greenhouse gas emissions and costs for island residents. This is exactly the kind of innovative, community-driven project that the Inflation Reduction Act was designed to support, and I'm proud to help bring these federal dollars back to Maine."
“The projects are the next step in the Fox Islands’ path toward energy independence, securing reliable, affordable, and responsible sources of energy for the Fox Islands,” said Fox Islands Wind’s CEO Amy Turner. “We appreciate the USDA’s investment and recognition that Fox Islands Wind’s New ERA projects integrate natural resources with modern technology to advance small grid capabilities while preserving our rich cultural heritage.”
The ERA program, created through the historic Inflation Reduction Act, is a key part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to support climate-smart initiatives in rural communities. The Fox Islands project is an example of how federal investments can help advance energy resiliency, reduce emissions, and support rural economies.
The USDA’s funding for the Fox Islands project is part of a $6 billion investment announced Friday to support clean energy initiatives across 30 states.
“In just two years, the New ERA and PACE programs have created dozens of new partnerships with rural electric cooperatives and communities that will reduce pollution, create jobs and make clean energy more affordable for millions of rural Americans,” USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “These investments we’re making today will continue to support the health, prosperity and well-being of rural Americans for generations to come.”
As part of the announcement, USDA is also awarding $120 million in REAP grants and loans for 516 projects in 39 states, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This program helps farmers and small business owners make energy efficiency improvements and expand their use of wind, solar and other forms of clean energy.
REAP funding for projects in Maine’s First District includes:
- $5,025,000 for Alna Community Solar LLC to build a 2.7 MW DC ground-mounted solar project located in rural Alna, Maine. It is expected to produce 3,600,278 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity in the first full year of operation.
- $21,000 for Monhegan Brewing Company LLC to install a new 8.2-kilowatt (kW) roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) system with battery storage. The system is expected to save the business $6,754 in annual energy costs.
- $51,000 for Brunswick Town Holdings LLC, a small commercial real estate company in Gray, Maine, to install a new 39 kilowatt (kW) roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) system. The system is expected to generate 51,710 kilowatt hours (kWh) annually.
- $44,950 for Grovest 101 LLC, a small real estate business located in Wiscasset, Maine, to install a new 30.6-kilowatt (kW) roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) system. The project is expected to generate 39,260 kilowatt hours (kWh) annually.
- $75,000 for PKS Woodworks LLC, a third-generation woodworking company located in South Berwick, Maine, to install a new 52.8-kilowatt (kW) roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) system. The system is expected to save $10,479 in annual energy costs.
“These investments are a testament to the effectiveness of the REAP program in supporting rural communities’ transition to renewable energy,” said Pingree. “By reducing energy costs, these projects enable local businesses to reinvest in their operations and workforce, fostering economic growth and sustainability in Maine. The success of REAP funding across Maine highlights the program’s substantial impact in supporting rural communities with renewable energy initiatives. These projects not only contribute to our state’s climate goals but also provide direct economic benefits to local businesses and consumers.”
“The Biden-Harris Administration is lowering costs and giving rural Americans the historic opportunity to expand clean energy and build an economy that benefits working families and small businesses,” Secretary Vilsack said. “By expanding access to homegrown biofuels and clean energy systems, we are making long-lasting investments that will strengthen our energy independence, address the impacts of climate change and create new market opportunities and revenue streams for American producers while bringing good-paying jobs to rural communities.”
In addition to the five projects in Maine’s First District, this latest round of REAP grants will include funding for 12 projects in Maine’s Second District.
The IRA, championed by House Democrats and signed into law by President Biden in August 2022, represents the single largest investment in climate and clean energy solutions in American history.
In 2023, Pingree and all Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee wrote to Chair Glenn “G.T.” Thompson (R-Pa.) and Ranking Member David Scott (D-Ga.) to protect the rural clean energy funding passed in the historic Inflation Reduction Act in the upcoming Farm Bill.
Pingree 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 addition to serving on the Agriculture Committee, Pingree is the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, which she chaired in the 117th Congress.
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