U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) this week applauded news on Tuesday from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development to invest $23 million in two high-speed broadband infrastructure projects in his home state of North Dakota.
“Today’s funds support our state’s growing technology sector as we continue deploying rural broadband across North Dakota,” said Sen. Hoeven, adding that the “funds are vital for further infrastructure development as technology continues to be the third economic wave for North Dakota.”
The projects will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for 2,643 rural households and 78 businesses in the state, according to Rural Development, which on Jan. 7 made several funding announcements related to the first round of USDA’s ReConnect Pilot Program.
Sen. Hoeven has secured more than $1.6 billion across fiscal years 2018-2020 through the ReConnect Pilot Program to support rural areas that currently lack access to quality broadband service, according to his staff.
“As chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, we worked to create this loan and grant pilot program to not only expand opportunities in rural areas, but to also support the adoption of precision agriculture for our producers,” Sen. Hoeven said.
Rural Development North Dakota State Director Clare Carlson said in a separate statement that Polar Communications will use a $21.2 million loan and grant combination in ReConnect Program funding to construct a fiber-to-the-premises network encompassing 1,870 square miles, while Daktel Communications will use a $1.8 million ReConnect Program grant to provide broadband service to 406 households and three educational facilities over 354 square miles.
“Providing critical communications investments in rural areas of North Dakota is important because when rural America thrives, all America thrives,” Carlson said.