USDA Delivers on Rural Energy Commitments, Provides Path for Applicants to Support U.S. Energy Independence

(Washington, D.C., March 25, 2025) — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will release previously obligated funding under the Rural Energy For America Program (REAP), Empowering Rural America (New ERA) and Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) programs. This announcement underscores the Trump Administration’s commitment to rural communities — including the farmers, ranchers, and small businesses at their core — and their essential role in building a stronger, more energy secure America. 

Recipients will have 30 days to review and voluntarily revise their project plans to align with President Trump’s Unleashing American Energy Executive Order issued on January 20, 2025. This process gives rural electric providers and small businesses the opportunity to refocus their projects on expanding American energy production while eliminating Biden-era DEIA and climate mandates embedded in previous proposals. USDA Rural Development is informing awardees individually about this opportunity. Respondents will be asked to answer several questions and provide a short narrative description of any proposed changes. 

“President Trump made tackling America’s energy emergency a top priority from day one, and this review allows rural energy providers and small businesses to realign their projects with that mission,” said Secretary Rollins. “We’re ensuring these investments support U.S. energy production while putting America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural businesses first.”

This updated guidance reflects a broader shift away from the Green New Deal and the so-called Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and toward practical energy investments that prioritize the needs of rural communities. 

“The IRA was marketed as a cure-all but delivered more bureaucracy than benefits for rural families,” said Secretary Rollins. “This course correction puts those investments back to work to support President Trump’s vision for energy independence and sets rural America on a path to lasting prosperity.”

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