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WASHINGTON, DC – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that rural agricultural producers and small business owners can now apply for resources to purchase and install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements.
These efforts help farmers, ranchers and other small business owners save money on their energy bills, reduce America's dependence on foreign oil, support America's clean energy economy, and cut carbon pollution.
The resources announced are made possible by the 2014 Farm Bill.
"Developing renewable energy presents an enormous economic opportunity for rural America," Vilsack said. "The funding we are making available will help farmers, ranchers, business owners, tribal organizations and other entities incorporate renewable energy and energy efficiency technology into their operations. Doing so can help a business reduce energy use and costs while improving its bottom line. While saving producers money and creating jobs, these investments reduce dependence on foreign oil and cut carbon pollution as well."
USDA is making more than $280 million available to eligible applicants through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
Application deadlines vary by project type and the type of assistance requested.
Details on how to apply are on page 78029 of the Dec. 29, 2014, Federal Register or are available at http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-energy-america-program-renewable-energy-systems-energy-efficiency .
USDA is offering grants for up to 25 percent of total project costs and loan guarantees for up to 75 percent of total project costs for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements.
The REAP application window has been expanded. USDA will now accept and review loan and grant applications year-round.
Eligible renewable energy projects must incorporate commercially available technology. This includes renewable energy from wind, solar, ocean, small hydropower, hydrogen, geothermal and renewable biomass (including anaerobic digesters).
The maximum grant amount is $500,000, and the maximum loan amount is $25 million per applicant.
Energy efficiency improvement projects eligible for REAP funding include lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, fans, automated controls and insulation upgrades that reduce energy consumption.
The maximum grant amount is $250,000, and the maximum loan amount is $25 million per applicant.
The REAP program was created in the 2002 Farm Bill. Because of the success of the program, Congress reauthorized it in the 2014 Farm Bill with guaranteed funding of no less than $50 million in annual funding for the duration of the five-year bill.
The 2014 Farm Bill builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past six years while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers.
Since 2009, USDA has awarded $545 million for more than 8,800 REAP projects nationwide. This includes $361 million in REAP grants and loans for more than 2,900 renewable energy systems. When fully operational, these systems are expected to generate more than 6 billion kilowatt hours annually – enough to power more than 5.5 million homes for a year.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The 2015 official Lake County visitor guides are now available.
Destinations For All Seasons is a joint project between the Lake County Chamber of Commerce and the Lake County Marketing Program, and contains an abundance of information about Lake County.
The guide includes listings for accommodations, restaurants, wineries and local businesses, as well as activity guides, event schedules, boating maps and so much more.
Visitors can also read about Lake County history; find out just how many species of birds can be found on Clear Lake; and learn about how Lake County’s high elevation and volcanic soils help produce our award-winning wines.
Residents will find information on Lake County’s health care system, public safety, education and school districts, media, utilities, government offices and so much more, including maps of each community.
Businesses, organizations, museums, etc. who are not members of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce may pick up the magazines in bulk at three Lake County Library locations. Bulk pick-up options will be available until Saturday, Feb. 28.
Lakeport Library
1425 N. High St.
Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Redbud Library
14785 Burns Valley Road, Clearlake
Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m.
Middletown Library
21267 Calistoga Road
Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Lake County Chamber members can contact the Chamber office at 707-263-5092 to place their name on the Feb. 23 pickup list. Members may pick up copies between 11 a.m. and noon on that date.
Location for pickup will be provided upon receipt of the members’ reservation call. Email reservations may be made to
PDF copies of the magazine can be downloaded at http://www.lakecounty.com/Contact/FreeGuide.htm .
Call 800-525-3743 or email
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SACRAMENTO – State Controller Betty T. Yee on Tuesday announced an agreement with brokerage and banking corporation Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. to return certain accounts to California residents through the Controller’s Unclaimed Property Program.
Charles Schwab & Co. is one of the largest wealth management businesses in the world, with nearly $2.5 trillion in client assets.
Under the agreement, Charles Schwab & Co. will give the state controller access to its account information to identify lost or abandoned customer and brokerage accounts belonging to Californians.
Using information from the United States Postal Service and Social Security Administration, Charles Schwab & Co. will attempt to return the funds to its account holders.
If account holders cannot be located, those accounts will be sent to the State Controller’s Unclaimed Property Division where the rightful owner or heirs can claim the funds at any time in the future.
“I commend Charles Schwab & Co. for its willingness to identify California account holders on its books, and for agreeing to work with my office to return lost or forgotten money as unclaimed property,” said Controller Yee, the state’s chief fiscal officer. “Charles Schwab & Co. is working in its customers’ best interests, joining with me to ensure that every lost dollar is paid to the rightful owner.”
Under California’s Unclaimed Property Law, holders such as financial institutions, corporations, business associations and insurance companies report and submit unclaimed property (e.g., bank accounts, stocks, bonds, uncashed checks, safe deposit box contents) to the State Controller’s Office when there has been no activity on an account for three years.
Property can be claimed directly by the owner or heir without any service charge or filing fee.
The unclaimed property database and claim form are at www.claimit.ca.gov .
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SACRAMENTO – State Controller Betty T. Yee on Tuesday released her monthly report covering California’s cash balance, receipts and disbursements in January 2015.
Revenues for the month totaled $12.6 billion, underperforming estimates in the governor’s proposed 2015-16 budget by $138.1 million, or 1.1 percent.
Year-to-date revenues are $15.5 million behind estimates adjusted upward a month ago, when the governor released his budget proposal.
Year-to-date income tax receipts have exceeded the governor’s expectations by $9.3 million.
Corporate tax receipts are currently $144.3 million ahead of fiscal year estimates, or 3.7 percent.
Sales and use taxes total $129.1 million, or 1.1 percent below expectations for the fiscal year.
The state ended the month with a general fund cash deficit of $10.7 billion, which was covered by $7.9 billion of internal borrowing and $2.8 billion of external borrowing.
That cash deficit was slightly below the projection of $10.9 billion in the governor’s budget proposal, and is significantly lower than last year, when the state faced a cash deficit of $12.6 billion at the end of January 2014.
The controller pursues external borrowing when cash available from special funds is not enough to meet general fund obligations.
The controller may ask the treasurer to sell short-term revenue anticipation notes that are repaid by the end of the fiscal year.