Delaware congressional reps celebrate $1.3 million in energy investments for rural businesses

U.S. Sen. Tom Carper and Sen. Chris Coons along with Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) recently celebrated the announcement of $1.3 million for nine Delaware projects that will lower energy costs for rural small businesses as part of the Rural Energy for America Program and the Inflation Reduction Act.

“The Inflation Reduction Act is making a real difference in the lives of Delawareans, and I’m proud to have helped author many of the climate provisions in this historic bill,” said Carper. “It is wonderful to see this funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture go toward Delaware’s clean energy future in all corners of our state. When we invest in the resiliency of our planet, we invest in our economy and our small businesses, and today’s funding announcement does just that.”

“Reducing energy costs for rural small businesses is just one way that the Inflation Reduction Act is helping our country meet our climate goals while saving money for businesses and families,” said Coons. “I am thrilled to see downstate businesses receiving $1.3 million in grants as this landmark law gets to work for Delawareans.”

“The Inflation Reduction Act’s historic provisions are at work lowering healthcare and energy costs for individuals, families and seniors in Delaware and across the nation,” said Blunt Rochester, a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. “Today’s funding announcement from the USDA will ensure that small businesses in the most rural parts of the First State can also reap these historic benefits to lower their energy costs, become more resilient, and help us unleash the full economic potential of our state.”

“USDA Rural Development is proud to support rural small businesses and ag producers in Delaware through our Rural Energy for America Program,” said David Baker, USDA Rural Development state director. “Through this critical investment, nine Delaware businesses are receiving funding that will help them to operate more sustainably, lower the cost of doing business, and contribute to resilient, clean and thriving rural communities.”

The announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture includes millions in loans and grants to agriculture producers and rural small businesses to make investments in renewable energy and energy-efficiency improvements that will lower costs, generate new income and strengthen the resilience of their operations.

The nine projects to receive funding and their amounts are:

• $139,560 for Stephens Enterprises, Inc., a pallet manufacturing business in Bridgeville, to help purchase and install a roof-mounted solar system.
• $193,741 for Raghunandan Farms, Inc., a poultry and farming business in Millsboro, to help purchase and install a ground-mounted solar system.
• $220,000 for First State Motors, Inc., a car dealership in Georgetown, to help purchase and install a roof-mounted solar system.
• $16,000 for Blue Hen Dental, LLC, a dental practice in Smyrna, to help purchase and install a roof-mounted solar system.
• $12,748 for Blue Orchid Properties LLC, a software business in Magnolia, to help purchase and install a roof-mounted solar system.
• $20,000 for Floyd A. Megee Motor Company, a new and used car dealership in Georgetown, to help purchase and install a roof-mounted solar system.
• $67,680 for Isabella, LLC, a self-storage facility in Delmar, to help purchase and install a roof-mounted solar system.
• $129,600 for Lewes Properties, LLC, a climate-controlled self-storage facility in Lewes, to help purchase and install a roof-mounted solar system.
• $477,811 for Three Puglisi Brothers, Inc., an egg-producing business in Middletown, to help purchase and install a roof-mounted solar system.

For more information, call 302-857-3629 or visit the USDA Rural Energy for America Program webpage at tinyurl.com/2yhdnbhe.