PORTLAND, Ore., June 15, 2023 — U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD) Oregon State Director Margi Hoffmann today announced over $81.7 million in loans and grants for highspeed internet projects in rural Oregon. The awards are part of the recently announced $714 million in grants and loans to connect thousands of rural residents, farmers and business owners in 19 states, including Oregon, to reliable, affordable high-speed internet.
“Access to high speed internet is about more than just connection for rural communities,” Hoffmann said. “Because of this funding, students in Clackamas County won’t have to sit in a restaurant parking lot to finish their homework. A wheat farmer in Wasco County will have the precision technology he needs to maximize crop yields. A patient in Grant County will be able to connect to her doctor from the comfort of her own home. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we can continue to make rural Oregon a place where everyone can live, grow, and thrive.”
Connecting all communities across the United States to high-speed internet is central part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to rebuild our economy from the bottom up and middle out by rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, which is driving over $470 billion in private sector manufacturing investments and creating good-paying jobs. Under the President’s Investing in America agenda, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $65 billion to connect everyone to high-speed internet through the Internet for All initiative. USDA is connecting more people to high-speed internet in this fourth funding round of the ReConnect Program. Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, the Department has invested in 142 ReConnect projects that will bring high-speed internet access to 314,000 rural Americans.
Today’s announcement includes $81.7 million in USDA investments in three Oregon counties: Clackamas, Grant, and Wasco.
For example,
- Beaver Creek Cooperative Telephone Company will receive over $30.5 million to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network that will benefit 7,611 people, 202 businesses, 136 farms and six educational facilities in Clackamas County.
- Oregon Telephone Corporation will receive over $30.7 million to build a fiber-to-the-premises network that will benefit 7,302 people, 145 businesses, 505 farms and four educational facilities in Grant County in Oregon and Ada and Canyon counties in Idaho.
- North State Telephone Co. will receive over $20.4 million to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network that will benefit 1,490 people, 64 businesses, and 43 farms in Wasco County.
A full listing of projects from today’s announcement can be found here.
Additionally, the award recipients will make highspeed internet affordable by participating in the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program.
Background: ReConnect Program
Applicants to ReConnect Program funding must serve a rural area that lacks access to service at speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 20 Mbps upload. Applicants must also commit to building facilities capable of providing high-speed internet service with speeds of 100 Mbps (download and upload) to every location in the proposed service area. Additionally, to ensure that rural households that need internet service can afford it, all awardees will be required to apply to participate in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP offers a discount of up to $30 per month towards internet service to qualifying low-income households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal Lands.
Background: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
President Biden forged consensus and compromise between Democrats, Republicans and Independents to demonstrate our democracy can deliver big wins for the American people. After decades of talk on rebuilding America’s crumbling infrastructure, President Biden delivered the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – a historic investment in America that will change people’s lives for the better and get America moving again.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $65 billion to ensure every American has access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet through a historic investment in broadband infrastructure deployment. The legislation also lowers costs for internet service and helps close the digital divide, so that more Americans can take full advantage of the opportunities provided by internet access.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas in Oregon, visit www.rd.usda.gov/or and follow USDA RD Oregon on Twitter @RD_Oregon.
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