The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it will be seeking 40 Climate Change Fellows to aid in providing funds for clean energy projects to record numbers of small rural businesses, including producers and ranchers. The financial aid is requested under the Rural Energy for American Program (REAP), which specializes in making clean energy systems more attainable and efficient in agriculture.
The USDA Climate Change Fellows Program hires specialized representatives who address issues relating to climate change in agriculture, with the overarching goal of the program being both to protect the environment and the economic wellbeing of producers. The Climate Change Fellow positions will be funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, one of the most significant steps U.S. Congress has taken in promoting clean energy and reducing the impact of climate change.
The Inflation Reduction Act provided $2 billion dollars to REAP, with the funds going to the heavily increasing demand for wind and solar energy on farms, as well as basic energy improvements that can help businesses to save money on typical utilities.
REAP will station a new Climate Change Fellow in nearly every U.S. state, including Puerto Rico, with extra positions being allotted to the Midwest.
The decision to fund more positions has also been made possible by the Justice40 Initiative under President Biden, which stipulates that 40 percent of certain Federal investments should be distributed to marginalized and underserved communities suffering the effects of pollution.
