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Sunday, July 21, 2024

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VP Kamala Harris says she plans to 'earn and win' Democratic nomination after Joe Biden drops out and endorses her; New Alabama bill threatens voter rights, legal challenge ensues; Fact-checking GOP claims on immigrants; Water contamination a concern in Midwest flood aftermath.

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President Joe Biden drops his 2024 re-election bid. He's endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to take his spot on the ticket, and election experts say they see benefits to this decision.

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It's grass-cutting season and with it, rural lawn mower races, Montana's drive-thru blood project is easing shortages, rural Americans spend more on food when transportation costs are tallied, and a lack of good childcare is thwarting rural business owners.

'Power to People' film highlights 'New ERA' for rural electric co-ops

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Tuesday, March 5, 2024   

A film debuts in Texas today to help member-owned utility customers learn more about opportunities coming their way from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.

"Power to the People: The Story of Rural Electric Cooperatives" is a short, animated feature highlighting what could be transformative for many rural communities.

Philip Fracica, director of programs with Renew Missouri, says money from the "New ERA" clean-energy program will reduce costs for rural Americans while improving grid reliability. To be eligible, he notes applicants had to document how a community would benefit.

"To get access to financing and forgivable funding for clean-energy projects. So, we're wanting to help them with that part of this process, to really help streamline it and make sure that community interests are being valued and considered," he said.

Cooperatives are consumer-owned utilities that purchase electric power at wholesale and deliver it directly to the customer. As nonprofits, they often lack capital to add clean-energy resources to their grid such as wind and solar.

The film, created by the Rural Power Coalition, debuts at the PowerXchange Conference in San Antonio.

Bri Knisley, director of public power campaigns with the environmental group Appalachian Voices, says more than 40 million people in 90% of U.S. counties are served by rural electric cooperatives.

"And they also provide electricity to some of the most disadvantaged communities in the country," Knisley said, "Low-income communities in Appalachia, Black and Brown communities in the Rust Belt, the border lands, tribal lands."

The USDA said it received record demand for the New ERA funding, which it views as a generational opportunity using clean energy to cut consumer costs in low-income communities across the country. Currently, two-thirds of rural electricity comes from fossil fuels.

Disclosure: Rural Power Coalition contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy & Priorities, Energy Policy, Environment, Rural/Farming. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at a political event in Grand Rapids, Mich., in early 2024. (The White House/Wikimedia Commons)

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