Capito announces West Virginia counties to share federal ReConnect broadband funds

More than 6,300 rural households and some 383 farms in counties located throughout U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito’s (R-WV) home state will share millions of dollars from the federal ReConnect broadband infrastructure program, the senator recently announced.

The Jan. 15 announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) “will help connect more than 6,000 people in Harrison, Doddridge, Lewis, Barbour, and Upshur counties, providing over 400 miles of fiber-to-the-premises networks,” Sen. Capito said. “With Harrison County matching some of the funds given, this project is the perfect example of federal and local partners working together to help West Virginia homes and businesses in need.”

Sen. Capito and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), both members of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, this week joined USDA West Virginia State Director Kris Warner to announce the $18.7 million broadband investment through USDA’s ReConnect program. The funding will support a high-speed broadband infrastructure project in the West Virginia counties.

“I helped create the ReConnect program within the appropriations process because I saw the need to close the digital divide in rural America,” said Sen. Capito. “I’ve continued to support ReConnect enthusiastically because USDA uniquely understands the difficulties associated with implementing broadband in rural areas and is better equipped to tackle those issues head-on.”

Last month, Sens. Capito and Manchin announced that Wetzel and Tyler counties were awarded similar grants through the USDA ReConnect program. The recent award is the third ReConnect grant for West Virginia.

“Access and affordability of rural broadband has always been a priority of mine, and I’m grateful to see Secretary Perdue and the Trump administration prioritize this issue,” Sen. Capito said.

The lawmaker also has worked to secure funds in the fiscal year (FY) 2018, FY 2019, and FY 2020 budgets for the ReConnect program, and through her Capito Connect initiative, she has made improving connectivity and closing the digital divide in West Virginia a top priority.