The United States Department of Agriculture is investing $167 million in 12 states to deploy broadband infrastructure in rural areas without sufficient access to high-speed internet.
“Generations ago, the federal government recognized that without affordable access to electricity, Americans couldn’t fully participate in modern society and the modern economy. Broadband internet is the new electricity. It is necessary for Americans to do their jobs, to participate equally in school learning and health care, and to stay connected,” said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “This is why President (Joe) Biden’s American Jobs Plan prioritizes building ‘future-proof’ broadband infrastructure—like the investments we’re announcing today—in areas without sufficient access to broadband, so that we finally reach 100% high-speed broadband coverage.”
These investments will benefit rural people in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia.
In the High Plains Journal’s coverage area:
• Delta-Montrose Electric Association, Colorado, will receive a grant for $10,595,446. This Rural Development investment will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network in rural Colorado. The funded service area includes 2,410 households, 6,877 people, three educational facilities, 89 businesses and 115 farms spread over 126 square miles.
• Kingdom Telephone Company, Missouri, will receive a grant for $4,222,260. This Rural Development investment will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network in rural Missouri. The funded service area includes 906 households, 2,369 people, an essential community facility, 39 businesses and 107 farms spread over 81square miles.
• Gascosage Electric Cooperative, Missouri, will receive a grant for $701,985. This Rural Development investment will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network in rural Missouri. The funded service area includes 163 households, 416 people, and a farm spread over a square mile.
• Texhoma Fiber LLC, Oklahoma, will receive a grant for $2,648,931. This Rural Development investment will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network in rural Oklahoma. The funded service area includes 353 households, 890 people, three educational facilities, two essential community facilities, two health care facilities, 60 businesses and a farm spread over one square mile.
• Terra Telephone Company, Oklahoma, received a grant for $1,854,675. This Rural Development investment will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network in rural Oklahoma. The funded service area includes 105 households, 255 people, two educational facilities, three essential community facilities, a health care facility, 11 businesses and 74 farms spread over 132 square miles.
• Southern Plains Cable LLC, Oklahoma, received a loan for $2,228,689. This Rural Development investment will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises and hybrid-fiber-coax network in rural Oklahoma. The funded service area includes 123 households, 293 people, an essential community facility, seven farms, and five businesses spread over five square miles.
• Oklahoma Western Telephone Company, Oklahoma, received a $23,344,336 grant. This Rural Development investment will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network in rural Oklahoma. The funded service area includes 947 households, 2,459 people, an educational facility, two essential community facilities, 17 businesses and 301 farms spread over 297 square miles.
• Tatum Telephone Company, Texas and Oklahoma, received a $4,488,894 grant. This Rural Development investment will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network in rural Texas. The funded service area includes 986 households, 2,657 people, three educational facilities, two essential community facilities, a health care facility, 67 businesses and 60 farms spread over 41 square miles.
The investments are part of the $550 million Congress allocated to the second round of the ReConnect Program as well as other funds made available for the program since 2018. USDA expects to begin inviting applications for a third round of program funds in the coming weeks.
