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Vilsack Announces Rural Energy Efficiency Rule

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Tuesday a proposed regulation that will help rural homeowners and businesses make affordable energy improvements to their homes and buildings. This effort is expected to expand job opportunities in the construction industry and save homeowners and businesses money on their energy bills.

"The upfront costs of energy improvements often preclude homeowners and businesses from investing in cost-effective, energy efficiency upgrades. This rule will help make those costs more affordable through increased lending opportunities," Vilsack said.

The proposed rule would allow USDA through the Rural Utilities Service to establish policies and procedures to implement energy efficiency loan programs aligned with USDA's Rural Economic Development Energy Efficiency effort, which is designed to create jobs in the energy efficiency industry, and builds upon the work that Rural Development has done in providing funding and support for improving the energy efficiency of single and multi-family housing, businesses, farms, and utility companies.

USDA could fund a variety of energy efficiency improvements that meet criteria proposed in the rule. For example, projects to conduct home energy audits and finance improvements necessary to reduce electricity use would be eligible for financing, as would demand side management projects that are designed to more efficiently control the use of electricity during peak demand periods.

USDA is seeking comments on the proposed rule, which will appear later this week in the Federal Register.