The 2014 Consolidated Appropriations agreement to be considered by Congress today leaves Farm Bill energy programs with no discretionary funding for the year, highlighting the need for Congress to prioritize consideration of the 5-year Farm Bill, the Agriculture Energy Coalition (AgEC) said today. The Omnibus provides $3.5 million in funds for the Rural Energy for America Program, but rescinds $40.7 million from the Biorefinery Assistance Program and another $8 million from the Bioenergy for Advanced Biofuels program.
The Biomass Crop Assistance Program partners with hundreds of farmers across the country to develop sustainable new biofuels and other products from non-food crops, providing farmers with additional farm income and producing next-generation energy sources. The program currently supports more than 1,100 American growers in 188 counties across 12 states, who are converting 53,000 underutilized acres to energy crops.
The Biorefinery Assistance Program also enables production of cutting-edge advanced biofuels by supporting next-generation biorefinery development. The program is assisting U.S. companies secure more than $450 million in private capital for innovative advanced biofuel projects. The program has leveraged nearly $10 of private capital for every dollar of federal investment.
The Renewable Energy for America Program supports every type of renewable energy technology, including wind, solar, biomass, biogas and hydroelectric power in all 50 states. Since 2008, the program has supported an additional 6,600 U.S. projects, employing 15,000 people and generating or saving more than 7.3 billion kilowatt hours of electricity – enough to power 680,000 U.S. homes annually. The program leverages private investment, as it requires at least a $3 match for each $1 of federal funds.