BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) — The USDA has announced about $6 billion in nationwide clean energy investments this week, more than $1.5 billion of which was awarded to the Peace Garden State. The funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program, and will be used to support thousands of jobs, lower electricity costs for businesses and families, and reduce climate pollution by millions of tons each year. New ERA was made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, and is also covered in the President’s Justice40 Initiative, which tries to make sure that at least 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal climate and clean energy investments flow to disadvantaged communities facing pollution and underinvestment. “Throughout the last four years, the Biden-Harris Administration has prioritized investments in and created tremendous opportunity for rural America. The impacts and legacy of those investments in our infrastructure, businesses, cooperatives, communities, and people here in North Dakota will be experienced for decades to come,” said USDA Rural Development State Director Erin Oban. “We commend and congratulate both Basin Electric and Great River Energy for seizing this once-in-a-generation opportunity and appreciate their continued dedication to serving rural people and places.” FAA awards nearly $4 million to expand airport in Fargo In North Dakota: Great River Energy - $794 million: This funding will be used to get a hold of 1,275 megawatts of renewable energy in rural areas across Minnesota and North Dakota. Projects will include large-scale wind energy, distributed renewable energy and other investments. This is expected to create over 1,600 jobs, lower costs for members by about $40 million each year, and reduce climate pollution by over 5.49 million tons each year. Basin Electric Power Cooperative - $775 million: will be used to obtain additional renewable energy generation and enhance existing cooperative-owned renewable assets, which are expected to total over 1,400 megawatts to serve its cooperative members in nine states. These projects will create short and long-term jobs, reduce carbon pollution, and provide estimated cost benefits of over $400 million to members over the life of the New ERA program. USDA has now awarded about 90% of the New ERA funding available to benefit rural electric cooperatives and their members, obligating about $9 billion of the program’s $9.7 billion budget authority. This represents more than $14.5 billion in grants and loans benefiting 35 states, with rural electric cooperatives committing to build or purchase more than 13 gigawatts of clean energy. According to the USDA, these projects will create good-paying jobs, lower energy costs for rural communities, and reduce pollution. They will also make the country's electric grid more resilient, and will advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative. For more information, see the New ERA fact sheet. More details on all funding recipients and selectees are available on the New ERA website. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW