WASHINGTON, DC – A new program announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide grants and loan guarantees for Flex Fuel pump installation will give retailers the opportunity to grow their business by offering consumers greater choices at the pump, according to Growth Energy, the leading voice for the U.S. ethanol industry. Details of the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) were released today including information on levels of funding available and application procedures.
“This program will help retailers retool their operations and grow their business by having more choices for consumers. Ultimately, the REAP program will help lead our nation toward energy independence by giving consumers a choice at the pump that includes something other than gasoline refined from foreign oil,” said Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis. “Every Flex Fuel pump we install helps create green jobs that cannot be outsourced, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and strengthens our national economy and security. We commend the Administration for reaching out to retailers – those businesses that deal directly with consumers – and providing the kind of program that accelerates our nation’s clean energy economy.”
The REAP program will provide grants, guaranteed loans, and combined grants and guaranteed loans for the development and construction of Flex Fuel pumps. The grants will be awarded through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). According to the USDA, each state has been assigned its own Rural Development Energy Coordinator through which applications can be obtained and submitted.
For more information, contact the USDA Rural Development Branch Chief Mr. Kelley Oehler at (202) 720-6819 or via e-mail at kelley.oehler@wdc.usda.gov.
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About Growth Energy
Growth Energy is a group committed to the promise of agriculture and growing America’s economy through cleaner, greener energy. Growth Energy members recognize America needs a new ethanol approach. Through smart policy reform and a proactive grassroots campaign, Growth Energy promotes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the use of ethanol in gasoline, decreasing our dependence on foreign oil, and creating American jobs at home. More information can be found at GrowthEnergy.org.