In the past 12 months, nearly 100 Appalachian farms, businesses, schools, and other organizations committed to investing millions of dollars in solar projects with Solar Holler. Earlier this week, the Trump Administration attempted to claw back previously approved grant funding earmarked to support those investments and myriad other vital humanitarian and economic programs. 

We are one of many organizations that recognize this as a violation of the Constitution and are grateful to those who intervened, driving the White House to rescind their original order. Still, the flurry of ambiguous and erratic communications around this topic raise significant concerns about West Virginia’s energy and economic future.  

According to Solar Holler Founder and CEO, Dan Conant, “USDA’s REAP application process requires a thorough review of each solar project’s financials to ensure federal dollars are spent on projects that will bring significant short and long term benefit to rural small businesses. West Virginia boasts the fastest-increasing utility rates in the country, which have created an enormous burden on those business owners. These projects will allow them to stabilize an otherwise ballooning cost. Pulling the rug out from under them – particularly those projects that are already in development- is not only illegal and unethical, but would be detrimental to the economic health and future of our state.”

Solar Holler has been in touch with the offices of Senator Capito, Senator Justice, Representative Miller, and Representative Moore, urging them to continue to protect previously committed funds from this type of overreach. We encourage our partners, solar producers, and advocates to contact their representatives to join the chorus of folks standing up for clean energy and other critical programs.

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