State Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic, was among the officials who spoke at the news conference.
Bill Barlow
SOMERS POINT -- With the days running out for Jane Asselta as the state director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, she came to Somers Point on Friday morning to tout a $790,000 grant to Surfside Casual Furniture for a clean energy project.
The matching funds are intended to help power furniture deliveries throughout the area without emissions. Robert Himmelstein said he's seen his bill for diesel all but disappear, and the store is also lit and heated with solar panels.
"Without what you've done for us, obviously, this project would not have come to fruition," Himmelstein told Asselta during a news conference at the store in a room crowded with displays of furniture.
Local and state officials, along with media, employees and other business owners crowded in for the event, which touted more than $16 million in renewable energy investments for small businesses and farms from USDA Rural Development through the Inflation Reduction Act and the Rural Energy for America Program.
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An appointee of Democratic President Joe Biden, Asselta plans to resign at noon Monday as Republican Donald Trump returns to the presidency. She said after the event she does not know what she'll do next, but wanted to concentrate on making the most of her last few days in the office.
"It's just been an absolute pleasure and an honor of a lifetime," she said of her work at USDA. Asselta talked up Biden's efforts and the significant expansion of funds for renewable energy projects.
The USDA does more than farms, she said.
"We invest in agriculture and food systems, but we also invest in health care, education, clean energy and energy efficiency projects, water and sewer infrastructure projects, affordable housing, home repairs, business expansion and job creation. Economic development," she said.
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A list of grants include funds for solar energy projects at wineries, hotels and other businesses in Cape May County, for a car dealership in Atlantic County and other projects throughout the state.
Officials say there were 15 awards in Atlantic and Cape May counties, including a $182,320 grant to Burke Chevrolet in Middle Township for a roof-mounted solar array, $165,880 for J. Berenato Farms in Hammonton for a solar array that is expected to exceed the farm's energy use, and $127,160 for the Windrift in Avalon, also for a solar array.
Asselta said USDA staff will use the Surfside Casual project as an example for years to come. Information from the USDA describes the business as the largest full-service custom furniture design and home furnishing store in the Cape-Atlantic area.
Himmelstein described the business as three generations working together, started by his father, with his son now taking a leadership role. The store on Macarthur Boulevard already had solar panels. This project includes installing batteries to capture the energy produced to then charge a fleet of five commercial vehicles, including delivery trucks.
The grant helped install new solar panels, battery storage and vehicle chargers, expected to reduce energy consumption by more than 90% and slash energy costs for the business, which could be more significant with a projected increase in the cost of energy.
"This Rural Development investment was used to purchase and install a 204.3 kilowatt (kW) roof mount solar array that is connected to a 250 kW islanded micro grid environment," reads a statement on the project. "The environment contains 1540 kW solar storage and four dual 12 kW electronic vehicle chargers."
The batteries and the panels that will charge them are on Fire Road, Himmelstein said. The solar panels on the business have been in place for a couple of years.
The trucks will be completely off the energy grid, he said, charged with energy produced by the solar panels.
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"Our business started in 1981. To see where we are today with energy and our commitment to sustainability is just remarkable," Himmelstein said.
Asselta called out U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., for his help in securing the grant, and for his work with the USDA. She also praised other federal representatives for bringing money to New Jersey, which she said pays more to Washington than it gets back. Booker was not at the event, but a representative from his office was. Janice Johnston, the Somers Point City Council president, and state Sen. Vincent Polistina, R-Atlantic, also spoke at the event, along with Michael Chait, the president of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber.
GALLERY: Surfside Casual receives USDA Rural Development grant
Contact Bill Barlow:
609-272-7290
Twitter @jerseynews_bill
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