EXCERPT: “Rural America could be on the verge of seeing the largest, single investment in its electrical infrastructure since the Rural Electrification Act of 1935 first brought power lines to farms. Rural electrical cooperatives have the opportunity to make that investment thanks to the $9.7 billion in clean energy funding signed into law by President Joe Biden as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. No one is more excited about the clean energy potential the bill brings to rural America than Erik Hatlestad of rural New London who, much to his own surprise, played a role in making it possible. ‘Never thought in a million years … pretty surprising, shocking,’ Hatlestad said when contacted about his role in the new federal legislation. Hatlestad is the energy democracy program director for Clean Up our River Environment in Montevideo. The organization led a coalition of seven, rural organizations in areas served by cooperatives that are considered carbon intensive. The organizations promoted funding and law changes that will help rural cooperatives invest in clean energy options.” FULL STORY: https://fluence-media.co/3AhJR0b
