US Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the City of Ashland has received a $10 million loan from the US Department of Agriculture to help finance a re-lending program for the implementation of energy efficiency measures.
The USDA's Rural Energy Savings Program will help finance a re-lending program in that city for qualified consumers to implement energy efficiency measures that will help combat "climate chaos" and save consumers money.
The USDA lending announcement heading to Ashland Municipal Electric Utility comes from a bipartisan program Merkley authored that has helped thousands of families and businesses in rural communities across America make critical energy efficiency improvements to their homes and workplaces.
Low-cost loans from the program are provided to rural electric cooperatives and utilities, which helps provide homeowners and businesses the opportunity to make energy improvements with favorable financing options. These loans may be used for upgrades to heating, lighting, appliances and insulation along with conversions to more efficient or renewable energy sources.
Ashland Mayor Tonya Graham said the city is pleased to partner with USDA to create a re-lending program that will help residents weatherize and electrify their homes to improve energy efficiency across that community.
This lending is expected to benefit 21,600 Ashland area residents over the course of the next 20 years.
