REAP Updates Part 3

REAP Updates Part 3. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.

Earlier this week the USDA held a press conference to update us on some changes to the Renewable Energy for America or REAP program. The USDA’s Branch Chief of the Energy Division, Kelley Oehler said that when the government approved the continuing resolution it provided additional funds for the program and allowed them to extend the deadline for submitting applications to May 31.

OEHLER: What’s covered under the grant programs then is any project requesting and grant including those grants of 20-thousand or less, feasibility study grant as well as a combo which is a combination grant and loan. So we basically say if you are requesting a grant the deadline is May 31st.

If you are requesting just a guaranteed loan the deadline is still July 15th. Oehler says they are still working on the budget amounts.

OEHLER: But I can tell you that we’re going to have grants of 20-thousand or less. We’re going to have the regular grants which we call unrestricted grants so there is no requirement that they have to be less than 20-thousand. They can be for any amount of money up to the maximum amount that is allowed for the specific project.

And Oehler says that the states will be allocated funds in hopes that each state will become active and involved in the REAP program. For more information visit the USDA’s Rural Development website.

That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.