The state director of the USDA’s Rural Development office, Mark Reisinger says Iowa projects have won over one million dollars in guaranteed loans and grants from the department’s energy program. Reisinger says 19 projects won awards of one-point-two million dollars, including corn burning furnaces, a bio-mass pellet production facility called Practical Environmental Solutions.
Reisinger says the awards are made every two weeks. He says the funds are available to all states on a competitive basis, and Reisinger says they’ve awarded less than 25 nationwide, with 19 coming to Iowa. Reisinger says the awards will be made up until May 18th for the grant program, and the deadline is July 2nd for the loan program.
Reisinger says he hopes more Iowans will apply. He says any type of energy efficiency program that’s not for a residential home could be eligible in a community of less than 50,000. For more information, you can visit a local rural development office, call Reisinger’s office at 515-284-4714 , or go on-line at: www.energygrantiowa.com .