Latest news with #Eley
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
This food bank saved big with solar. GOP cuts could crush similar efforts.
When the team at Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina first started planning construction of a new headquarters in Winston-Salem in 2019, they seriously considered solar panels. 'Food banking at its core has always been about sustainability,' said Beth Bealle, Second Harvest's director of philanthropy, stewardship, and engagement. The organization rescues food that would have ended up in landfills to feed those in need, and Bealle and her colleagues wanted to push the sustainability concept 'in other aspects of our work — like our facility.' But at the time, they were advised that a rooftop array would be too expensive. Second Harvest shelved the idea and moved into its gleaming new 140,000-square-foot building in a former R.J. Reynolds Tobacco industrial park. 'Fast forward to the Piedmont Environmental Alliance Earth Day Fair of April 2023,' Bealle said. That's where she met the alliance's new green jobs program manager, Will Eley, who asked, 'Did y'all know about the Inflation Reduction Act?' Eley and Bealle 'hit it off fabulously,' she said. Together, they took the food bank's solar plan off the shelf and worked through the details of complying with the federal law's clean energy incentives. Two years later, on Earth Day 2025, Second Harvest and the alliance flipped the switch on a 1-megawatt array, one of the largest rooftop solar projects in the state. Assuming promised refunds from the federal government materialize, the project is expected to save Second Harvest $143,000 each year, funds the group says will be reinvested directly into programs that provide food, nutrition education, and workforce development across 18 counties of Northwest North Carolina. But with the tax rebates now on the chopping block in Congress, other organizations considering new facilities may not have the chance to follow Second Harvest's footsteps. 'We've already talked to several food banks who are in that process about our project, because they're interested in putting solar on the rooftops of their new buildings,' Bealle said. 'And that's not going to be within reach for some people if these tax credits aren't available.' The federal government has long offered tax credits to incentivize renewable energy projects, from solar farms to rooftop arrays. But before the Inflation Reduction Act, those enticements were of little use to food banks and other entities that don't pay an income tax. The 2022 landmark climate law allowed organizations like Second Harvest to access the 30% tax credit on their solar investment by essentially transforming it to a rebate. 'The process by which they were able to fully monetize the tax credits was quite the game changer,' Eley said. In North Carolina, the provision known as 'direct pay' serves as a vital sequel to an expired rebate program from utility Duke Energy, which helped dozens of houses of worship and other nonprofits go solar during its five years of existence. 'Duke Energy had the nonprofit solar rebate, and that was a tremendous tool that was very helpful,' said Laura Combs, a one-time solar salesperson who worked with tax-exempt groups around the state to access the cash back from the utility. 'When the direct payment came into play,' she said, 'that took up that slack.' The federal climate law also offers other inducements. It provides a 10% bonus to tax credits for projects deployed in government-defined 'energy communities,' including those on former industrial sites or brownfields. At least another 10% is available for clean-electricity projects that are located in or benefit low-income communities. As an organization that serves food-insecure households and that is headquartered in a poor census tract on a brownfield, Second Harvest qualified for both of these extra incentives. 'We really maximized the clean-energy layer cake,' Eley said. Altogether, the tax credits cut the $1.5 million price tag for the solar rooftop installation in half, Eley said. While the food bank had to pay the full amount up front and won't recoup those savings until it files its tax return for the year, the extra incentives mean the 1,702 solar panels will pay for themselves more quickly in the form of lower energy bills. Second Harvest and Piedmont Environmental Alliance hoped the project would serve as a beacon to other nonprofits looking to go solar. And in and around Winston-Salem, that's starting to come true, Eley says. 'It's opened up several doors there,' he said, mentioning that a local credit union and groups like Goodwill have expressed interest in installing panels. 'We're presently working with six faith communities that are navigating [direct pay] and going through their feasibility and contracting processes for solar specifically.' That tracks with a nationwide trend of houses of worship going solar thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. There's also been an uptick in nonprofit installations statewide, according to data compiled by the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association. The association doesn't monitor whether institutions access the direct-pay feature, and some recent arrays may be holdovers from the Duke rebate program, which ended in 2022. But the numbers are striking nonetheless: Since 2011, almost 150 houses of worship, local governments, and other entities that don't pay taxes have erected solar arrays, nearly all on rooftops. Sixty-three, or 42%, did so in 2023 and 2024. Now, Eley said, the groups he's working with are especially motivated to act quickly. 'The idea of going solar has been something they have tossed around for a number of years,' he said. 'We're certainly reiterating to them if you're going to make that investment, do so now.' That's because the massive budget bill passed last month by the House — dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in an homage to President Donald Trump — would make tax credits for solar and other renewable energy projects nearly unusable. The Senate is now considering whether to pass the measure as is or to make changes. As the legislation stands now, projects would have to begin construction within 60 days of the bill's passage to access the 30% tax credit. That's an easier feat for a rooftop installation than a larger, ground-mounted affair, but still incredibly difficult for nonprofits, religious institutions, or local governments that tend to have lengthy decision-making processes and aren't already planning to go solar. Even more unworkable is a provision that requires documentation that no component of a project, no matter how small, is linked to a 'foreign entity of concern' such as China. While House lawmakers voted to make the underlying 30% tax credit virtually useless, they didn't explicitly target the three related adjustments that helped enable the Second Harvest project: direct pay, the low-income community benefit, and the brownfield benefit. 'These cross-cutting provisions are part of the tax credit structure, but they are their own mechanisms,' said Rachel McCleery, the former senior adviser at the U.S. Department of the Treasury who led stakeholder engagement for the climate law's implementation. The survival of direct pay in the House measure stands in contrast to the elimination of its twin in the private sector, transferability, which allows smaller energy companies better access to incentives. But direct pay means little if the baseline 30% tax credit is still hamstrung by the 60-day start-work requirement and the foreign-entity provision. 'This is backdoor repeal of the IRA,' said McCleery, who now advises clients on defending clean energy tax credits, 'and it's backdoor repeal of direct pay — because you can't use direct pay if you don't have an underlying tax credit.' The same applies to the bonus incentives for low-income and brownfield communities. 'These cross-cutting mechanisms can still be used,' McCleery said, 'but if the underlying credit is moot, that essentially repeals the mechanisms.' On the flipside, if the Senate restores the viability of the underlying 30% tax credit in its version of the bill, the mechanisms that aid nonprofits like food banks and houses of worship will also be accessible. But advocates say that remains a big 'if.' And there are other challenges: Slashes to the Internal Revenue Service workforce could delay payments to Second Harvest and others. And the group is bracing for the impact of the other budget cuts in the House bill as written, such as to food assistance and Medicaid. 'It's just going to put pressure on people who are already under-resourced,' Bealle said. 'And that has a ripple effect to every organization that supports under-resourced people, including us.' Combs, the former solar sales professional who also volunteers with climate advocacy group North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light, called it a 'tragic snowball.' She then brought up U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, the North Carolina Republican who has consistently voiced disapproval of a full-scale repeal of the tax credits. 'Thank goodness Sen. Tillis has spoken out and been a leader on the importance of the Inflation Reduction Act incentives,' Combs said. 'I am anxious to see how this plays out in the Senate.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Deputy Governor, TDOT Commissioner steps away after seven years
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — Governor Bill Lee announced Friday that Deputy Governor and Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Butch Eley is stepping away from his role in the third quarter of 2025 after nearly seven years of leadership. Eley has been a key figure in advancing infrastructure, financial stewardship and government modernization across the state, according to a news release. 'It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve Governor Lee and the people of Tennessee,' Eley said in the release. 'From building long-term systems that better serve Tennesseans, to navigating some of our state's toughest challenges, I'm deeply proud of what we've accomplished. This moment marks not an end, but a pause—a chance to ensure a smooth transition and reflect on how I can continue to make an impact in new ways.' Local agencies warn of DMV text message scam Eley described the decision as a transition to step away from government to spend more time with his family. Under his role as TDOT Commissioner, Eley reportedly launched the following initiatives: Introduced Tennessee's first Public-Private Partnership (P3) initiatives to modernize project delivery and increase innovation by engaging the private sector. Pioneered alternative delivery models to improve project speed and efficiency, improving service for taxpayers. Created the first-ever fiscally constrained 10-year project plan, bringing unprecedented transparency and accountability to state transportation investments. Secured dedicated, recurring General Fund dollars for transportation for the first time in TDOT's history to ensure an additional and sustainable revenue stream to help meet Tennessee's infrastructure needs in the decades to come. Led the single-largest infrastructure investment in state history with the I-55 bridge over the Mississippi replacement project. Commenced the state's first performance-based maintenance contract, engaging the private sector with outlined metrics to establish clear and objective standards for how our roads should look to motorists. 'Since I decided to run for Governor, Deputy Governor Eley has served as one of my most trusted advisors,' Governor Bill Lee said in the release. 'I turned to him to manage our state departments as chief operating officer after my first inauguration, and then to steward our state's finances as finance and administration commissioner during the worst global economic decline since the Great Depression. In my second term, Butch stepped into a new role to prepare Tennessee's infrastructure for generations to come, ensuring we continue to accommodate our state's extraordinary economic growth. I've entrusted him with some of the most difficult challenges facing our state, and he has consistently overachieved. Butch has served the people of Tennessee with the highest level of excellence, and God has blessed Maria and me with a lifelong friend. I thank him for his unwavering leadership.' 'None of this work has been mine alone,' Eley said in the release. 'It's been the result of an extraordinary Governor, supportive and engaged teams, and a shared commitment to making government work better for the people we serve. Leadership is about stewardship—and I believe the systems, improvements, and processes we've built are strong enough to thrive for years to come.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
BBC News
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Godalming concert set to raise funds for Dan Eley Foundation
A man who was paralysed from the shoulders down in an accident in South America has said he wants to keep "inspiring people through my adversity" as he raises money for Eley, from Godalming in Surrey, broke his neck diving into a river in Colombia on New Year's Eve in 47-year-old said he had "come to terms emotionally" with what happened and was now using his story to raise money through his charity, the Dan Eley Foundation.A concert, to be held in support of the foundation, will feature students from Godalming College at the town's United Church in Bridge Street on Wednesday at 19:00 GMT. Mr Eley said: "Part of the reason for setting up the charity was to have a sense of purpose, rebuild my life and wake up and feel good about something when you're living with such a debilitating condition."I have come to terms emotionally with what happened to me. The first two years were really awful but if you can accept it and use it for good there's an opportunity to inspire people through your adversity." Mr Eley spent two months in hospital in Colombia before a fundraising campaign raised more than £80,000 to bring him was flown to the UK in an air ambulance before spending 10 months recovering in Stoke Mandeville 2012 to 2022 the Dan Eley Foundation helped to train 800 young people from the Colombian city of Cali and help them find foundation now focuses on helping young people in south west Surrey, with money from the concert helping students from low income families to complete their Duke of Edinburgh for the concert can be bought on the Godalming College website.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Man and woman plead guilty in refund scheme involving pandemic relief tax credits
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — A man and woman have pled guilty to involvement in a refund scheme that included pandemic relief tax credits. Court documents revealed Kendra Michelle Eley filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) eight Forms 941, Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Returns, for Kreative Designs by Kendra, LLC, between Oct. 11, 2022, and May 24, 2023. The eight forms covered four tax periods in 2020 and four tax periods in 2021. Eley falsely reported wages paid and federal tax withholdings for eighteen employees on each of the forms despite having none. In the four forms filed for 2021, Eley claimed false Sick and Family Leave Credits and Employee Retention Credit (ERC) through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, totaling approximately $713,000 and $252,000 respectively, with total refunds claimed of over $900,000. The IRS issued two U.S. Treasury refund checks made payable to 'Kendra M. Eley, Kendra Cleans Maid Services' on Dec. 9, 2022, and on Dec. 13, 2022, totaling $649,050. On Dec. 23, 2022, Eley and Rejohn Isaiah Whitehead opened a business checking account in the name of Kendra Cleans Maid Services LLC (KCMS), and the signatories on the account were Eley and Whitehead. Eley and Whitehead falsely represented the nature and extent of KCMS as a business to open the business account. Eley funded the account by depositing one of the refund checks in the amount of $389,640. On Jan. 9, 2023, Eley wrote Whitehead a check from the account for $20,000. She wrote Whitehead an additional check from the account for $40,000 on Jan. 21, 2023. On Feb. 13, Whitehead pled guilty to engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26 and faces up to 10 years in prison. Eley pled guilty on Thursday to one count each of false claims and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property. She is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9 and faces up to 10 years in prison. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TDOT would prioritize maintenance, expediting projects with proposed $1.18 billion in state budget
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) officials broke down how the agency would spend the $1.18 billion included in Gov. Bill Lee's budget proposal, mainly prioritizing maintenance, repairs, and expediting existing projects. If Gov. Bill Lee's budget is approved by the General Assembly, TDOT would receive an additional $80 million in recurring funds, which the agency would use on maintenance, including $6 million to expand mowing and litter crews, $16.7 to expand TDOT HELP trucks to rural areas, and a combined $32 million for pavement and bridge preservation. TDOT officials told lawmakers the state has seen a significant, steady decline in pavement conditions since 2012, and its bridges are getting older, making repairs an increasing, recurring expense. 📧 Have breaking news come to you: → 'State of good repair; maintaining what we have is paramount to us in being able to continue our mission as a department and the infrastructure in the state, and we're beginning to fall behind on that front,' TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley told lawmakers in the House Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Monday. 'We are trying to fix it first and trying not to let things get so bad that now it's a total replacement,' Joe Galbato, TDOT deputy commissioner and chief financial officer said. TDOT would spend $775 million in non-recurring funds to expedite 10-year plan projects, add projects to the 10-year plan, and leverage statewide partnership program projects, which would help fund road projects for local governments that don't have the money. 'One of the things that we are really making an effort to do is finish what we start,' Commissioner Eley said. 'It's a mentality that we feel like not only you deserve, but the people of Tennessee deserve in being able to know that when we start a project it doesn't have to take 15 or 20 years, and in some cases, hadn't still been done.' However, with all the growth in Tennessee, some lawmakers questioned why the new, recurring funds would not be used for new projects. 'We've learned to do so much with so little for so long, we can do just about anything with absolutely nothing, so I'm a little bit concerned about that, because I was hoping that $80 million would be adding new projects to the list, but it's not necessarily doing that,' Rep. Ryan Williams (R-Cookeville). 'This $80 million being put into bridge preservation, pavement preservation, and the things that we need to invest in just to maintain what we have, that is a recurring expense,' Commissioner Eley replied. 'It was the best way to spend those dollars.' TDOT officials said revenue streams from the gas and vehicle registration tax have plateaued, and since TN doesn't take out debt to pay for road projects, they have to prioritize using the allotted cash from the state. 'You don't put in a swimming pool if your house needs painting. We've got to paint the house before we can do something that we'd really all like to have — the wife and kids splashing in the backyard,' Will Reed, TDOT deputy commissioner and chief engineer said. ⏩ Tennessee has a $38 billion backlog in road projects, according to a recent TACIR report. Many of them involve maintenance and repairs. The General Assembly could make tweaks to Gov. Lee's proposed budget before voting to approve the final budget this legislative session. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
