Tuesday, Mar 6 2012 3:03PM
Rural energy efficiency projects are some of many being planned by USDA RUS for fiscal year 2013.
USDA Administrator, Jonathan Adelstein, made FY 2013 budget requests to the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee for various Rural Utility Service (RUS) programs.
Adelstein noted that RUS intends to spend its allocated federal funding on projects to improve energy efficiency, expand broadband access and implement clean water and wastewater systems in rural communities nationwide.
The total request from RUS to fund these projects is $8.3 billion. In addition to helping improve the quality of life for rural residents, Adelstein said these projects should help create numerous jobs.
"RUS has been a reliable source of infrastructure investment, and will continue to fund electric, telecommunications and water and wastewater projects to help meet the needs of rural America," Adelstein said in his testimony.
The discretionary budget allocated to USDA for FY 2013 amounts to roughly $24 billion, while the mandatory budget for the year is $131 billion.
For further information, check out these sources:
House Committee on Appropriations,
U.S. Department of Agriculture