Building a 100 Percent Clean Future Can Drive an Additional $8 Billion a Year to Rural Communities

Rural communities face many challenges, and climate change is only making matters worse. If done right, taking climate action will be a win-win for rural communities, counteracting the shifts to their way of life. Nearly one-quarter of rural Americans do not have access to broadband internet, which has major financial implications for farmers. According to the USDA, universal deployment of broadband-enabled precision technology could reduce water use by 30 percent, cut herbicide reliance significantly, reduce fuel use by 10 percent, and increase yields by 70 percent, generating cost savings of approximately $47 billion to $65 billion annually in additional gross benefit for the US economy. As part of rural infrastructure upgrades, CAP recommends a “dig once” approach that links upgrades to the rural electricity grid for renewable energy and expands broadband access. Congress should explore options for allocating grants, low-interest loans, and loan guarantees to rural electric co-ops—rather than wholly relying on large telecommunications companies—to expand broadband access in rural-remote areas left behind by the private market. This could be accomplished by expanding and fully funding the existing USDA Rural Utilities Service programs such as the Broadband Reconnect Program, the Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program, and the Community Connect Grant Program.