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March 14, 2024
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a briefing about the implementation of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in rural America. What programs are uniquely designed for and supportive of rural communities? What types of projects are making a difference in people's lives? What are the remaining barriers preventing small and rural communities, institutions, and companies from accessing IIJA and IRA support?
Panelists addressed these questions and shared the latest updates on U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, and other agency programs that provide for rural communities. They outlined how these laws directly help rural communities—from farms and ranches to rural town centers. Using specific examples from around the country, panelists also discussed key topics from a rural perspective, including electricity provision, broadband access, drinking water availability, and pollution reduction.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Sandra Purohit, Director of Federal Advocacy, E2
Clare Sierawski, Senior Energy Counselor, Department of Agriculture
Toniqua Hay, Stakeholder Engagement Lead for Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas, Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, Department of Energy
Zach Bodhane, Director of Government Relations, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
Frances Sawyer, Founder, Pleiades Strategy
Q&A
Q: Is USDA’s technical assistance to assist farmers in applying for funding free of cost? How often do farmers reach out for assistance, and from what states?
Sierawski
Q: Does USDA have a resource with information about investments and projects funded organized by state? Does USDA have a chart which specifies the types of renewable energy receiving funding?
Q: What processes are in place to track the progress of renewable energy projects funded through the IRA and IIJA?
Purohit
Hay
Bodhane
Sawyer
Q: Is there a way to find out how funding is allocated by state? Are there states with more appropriated funding than others?
Q: How much of the IRA and IIJA has been implemented?
Compiled by Kylie Tugend and Meghan Tinnea and edited for clarity and length. This is not a transcript.