Are you a farmer or rural business owner who dreams of reducing your carbon footprint? How about lower energy bills? PCD is standing up a new program to help farmers and rural business owners do just that.

Climate mitigation and adaptation is in the 5 year Strategic Plan for the Conservation District.  The changing climate will have a dramatic impact on farming in Pierce County, and PCD is preparing to offer technical assistance to deal with added resource constraints. PCD is starting this brand new program with a strategy to lower greenhouse emissions from energy off of farms and rural properties.

To kick off the program, the Pierce Conservation District has been awarded a USDA Renewable Energy Development Assistance (REDA) grant, with the opportunity to extend the grant services to our neighboring counties, King and Thurston.  The grant funds technical assistance for agricultural producers and rural small businesses with assessment of renewable energy opportunities, and help with writing grant applications like REAP, utility rebates, and other options for bringing energy conservation measures to your property. 

• Want to learn more about the program? Click Here.
• Want to learn more about Renewable Energy for America Program grants? Click Here.
• Ready to sign up for assistance? Click Here.

In the next year and a half, PCD has a goal of getting 15 renewable energy systems installed in the tri-county area.  More than that, 100 property owners will receive a free energy audit.  Between conservation and the installation of on-site renewable energy, PCD has a goal of removing the equivalent of 50 homes worth of energy off of the grid.

With the help of this grant, partnerships with NW SEED and local utility companies, PCD will be offering a series of workshops and public resources on how to tell where the biggest power draws are on your property, and how to reduce them.  The first workshop will be on July 20th at 6pm at Pierce Conservation District.  

If you would like to receive a free energy audit, including suggestions for renewable energy options, email christinec@piercecountycd.org for more information or fill out the Assistance Request Form.