WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) celebrated the announcement of over $220,000 in combined federal grant funding from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development office to support rural housing rehabilitation across Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom and Windsor and Windham counties. The two USDA grants will help lower-income homeowners make home improvements that cut fuel and electric costs, bring their proprieties into compliance with standards and codes, and improve energy conservation measures. 

“Everyone should benefit from the transition to clean energy – and no Vermonter should be excluded because of where they live or how much money they make. These grants to will help support homeowners improve energy conservation in their homes and cut energy costs. It’s a win-win for rural America,” said Sen. Welch.  

This USDA investment comes from the department’s Housing Preservation Grants. $70,095 will support the rehabilitation of 15 households within Windham and Windsor counties, and $150,000 will support the rehabilitation of 26 homes in Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans Counties. 

In total, USDA Rural Development announced over 200 USDA-funded projects to support rural and Native American communities, benefitting those in underserved areas. Read more here.  

Senator Welch is the Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Rural Development and Energy Subcommittee, where he is focused on advancing economic opportunities and building a greener future for rural America. As Chair of the subcommittee, he has held hearings on the critical need to build out broadband in rural America, and the growing challenges facing our rural water systems as climate change impacts communities across the country.  

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