ALBUQUERQUE, NM, October 14, 2015 – Earlier today, USDA Rural Development State Director Terry Brunner joined the residents of Picuris Pueblo to celebrate the opening of their new fire station with a traditional fire service dedication. During the festivities the fire fighters pushed a fire engine back into the station's bay and washed down the building to formally mark the facility is ready for calls. The tradition of pushing a fire engine back into a bay goes back to colonial times when fire apparatus driven by a team of horses was pushed back into the fire station after a fire call.
During today's event, Brunner said, "This new fire station will give residents of Picuris Pueblo and surrounding area access to better emergency services. They now have a facility that will provide service 24-hours a day seven days a week." Brunner added, "USDA Rural Development is proud to have played a role in providing the funding to make this energy efficient station a reality."
To attain this goal USDA Rural Development provided a $100,000 loan and a grant of $50,000 through its Community Facilities Program to pay for the photovoltaic solar power system that is providing the electricity to run the fire station.
By doing so, the funding allowed the newly constructed Picuris Pueblo Fire Station to be a NetZero structure. Meaning the facility is running on a hundred percent clean renewable energy. When the planning for this fire station begun the leadership at Picuris Pueblo expressed they wanted a facility that was a "Zero Carbon Building" making sure the facility was energy efficient and would not use electricity created by carbon fuels.
President Obama's plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President's leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America's economy, small towns and rural communities. USDA's investments in rural communities support the rural way of life that stands as the backbone of our American values.