USDA Awards $31 MM in Loans and Grants to Support Rural Economic Development
Posted on Mar 31, 2015 in Financing | Comments Off on USDA Awards $31 MM in Loans and Grants to Support Rural Economic Development
The Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the award of $31 million in loans and grants for 38 projects in 12 states to promote rural economic development. These revolving zero-interest loans provide funds to local businesses to help create jobs and expand rural manufacturing. See the full list of awards...
New RUS Administrator Appointed
Posted on Mar 30, 2015 in Financing, Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on New RUS Administrator Appointed
President Obama has appointed Brandon McBride as the new Administrator of the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS). Mr. McBride served as a Senior Professional Staff on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry from 2009 through his appointment. Prior to that, he served as a Legislative Assistant and Grants Specialist for Senator Blanche Lincoln from 2003 to 2009...
NRECA Argues Against CEQ Greenhouse Gas Proposal
Posted on Mar 26, 2015 in Climate Change, Environmental, Legislative & Politics, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on NRECA Argues Against CEQ Greenhouse Gas Proposal
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) commented Tuesday on draft guidance submitted by the Whitehouse Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). The draft guidance would require agencies to consider the effect of a proposed action on climate change. NRECA argued that the proposed guidance would complicate compliance with the EPA’s proposed Clean Power Plan, which...
EPA Proposes Costly New Water Regulations
Posted on Mar 25, 2015 in Climate Change, Environmental, Land Use, Legislative & Politics, Permitting, Project Development, Regulation & Policy, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on EPA Proposes Costly New Water Regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed new water regulations which would increase costs and require extensive permitting for power line construction and maintenance. At a hearing on the proposed rules, Russ Biggica of the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association warned Congress that the rules would drive up costs for cooperatives, including the cost of renewable energy...
Reduction in South Dakota Coop Taxes Vetoed
Posted on Mar 23, 2015 in Legislative & Politics, Tax | Comments Off on Reduction in South Dakota Coop Taxes Vetoed
South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard has vetoed a bill that would have slightly reduced electric cooperatives’ taxes by rolling back a recent administrative decision on how state tax for electric cooperatives is determined and excluding municipal taxes from calculations of state tax liability. Click here for more.
Renewables Top Fossil Fuels in Generation Growth
Posted on Mar 17, 2015 in Grid & Infrastructure, Project Development, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Renewables Top Fossil Fuels in Generation Growth
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s latest Electric Power Monthly report, in 2014 increases in wind and solar generation outpaced traditional fossil fuel generation growth. Net generation of wind increased roughly 14 million MW hours and net generation of commercial-scale solar grew by approximately 9 million MW hours. To read more about this story, please...
Legal Alert: Power Surge: TCPA Litigation and the Energy Industry
Posted on Mar 17, 2015 in Litigation, Regulation & Policy | Comments Off on Legal Alert: Power Surge: TCPA Litigation and the Energy Industry
Few industries have been spared from the recent wave of class actions filed under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”). The energy sector is no exception. TCPA cases against electricity and natural gas providers are on the rise with more than half a dozen such cases filed in 2015 in federal courts in Texas, New York, Ohio, Florida, California, and other states, in addition to...
G&T Cooperative Adds Solar Production Facilities
Posted on Mar 16, 2015 in Climate Change, Environmental, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Renewable Energy, Technology | Comments Off on G&T Cooperative Adds Solar Production Facilities
Illinois G&T Prairie Power has announced plans to construct two new solar power facilities. Jay Bartlett, CEO of Prairie Power, stated that the G&T is building the facilities in response to its members’ interest in renewable energy sources. Once completed, all of its nearly 80,000 members will be able to sign up to purchase power from the solar projects. Please click here to...
Natural Gas Production Takes the Edge off of Winter Electric Rates
Posted on Mar 16, 2015 in Innovation/Efficiency, Rates, Technology | Comments Off on Natural Gas Production Takes the Edge off of Winter Electric Rates
Despite the fact that this winter has produced record cold temperatures across the country, the average price of residential electricity is projected to increase only 1 percent in 2015 compared to 3.1 percent in 2014. The slow-down in electricity cost inflation is due to an increase in natural gas production. Please click here to read more.
Survey Report: Less Concern of Distributed Generation in Utility Industry
Posted on Mar 10, 2015 in Energy Savings Programs, Grid & Infrastructure, Innovation/Efficiency, Rates, Renewable Energy | Comments Off on Survey Report: Less Concern of Distributed Generation in Utility Industry
According to media startup Utility Dive’s State of the Electric Utility 2015 Survey Report, many utilities have begun to see distributed generation as a growth opportunity rather than a disruption. According to the report, 88 percent of respondents now view distributed generation as an opportunity, although 63 percent of those are not sure how to build their business around the...
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