U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior Boost Clean Energy Budgets

[Nathanael]

More U.S. government budget increases for clean energy:


The Obama Administration has been very good at providing funding for clean energy projects through the Department of Energy, but other federal departments have lesser-known projects that contribute to the administration’s renewable energy goals as well.

For example, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior are proposing to increase funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency programs in their budget requests for fiscal year (FY) 2011.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) budget proposes funding of $39 million for the Rural Energy for America Program. The Farm Bill provides another $70 million, supporting an additional $36 million in grants and an estimated $73 million in loan guarantees. The budget proposes $17 million for the Biorefinery Assistance Program, enough to support $50 million in loan guarantees, while the Farm Bill provides $85 million for the Bioenergy for Advanced Biofuels program.


Link: http://www.energyboom.com/policy/departments-agriculture-and-interior-boost-clean-energy-budgets