U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) and U.S. Reps. Sam Graves (R-MO) and Billy Long (R-MO) on Jan. 28 applauded a new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) investment of almost $61 million in high-speed broadband infrastructure across their home state of Missouri.
“The investment announced today marks another important step toward ending the digital divide that has left about one-third of rural Missourians without access to broadband,” Sen. Blunt said on Tuesday. “I’ll continue working with local, state and federal officials to ensure every community has access to high-speed internet.”
As one of many funding announcements made this week in the first round of the USDA’s ReConnect program, Missouri will receive $60.9 million to expand or improve e-Connectivity for more than 11,000 rural households, 81 farms, 73 businesses, 16 educational facilities, 12 critical community facilities, and two rural healthcare facilities, according to the USDA.
“This investment will help strengthen economies and improve the quality of life in rural areas across the state,” said Sen. Blunt. “Bringing high-speed internet to rural areas will help students succeed in the classroom, enhance economic opportunities for farmers and businesses, and improve healthcare in underserved communities.”
The USDA announced five Missouri projects:
- Mid-States Services LLC will use a $3 million loan to provide Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) broadband services in and around Trenton, Mo.;
- Total Highspeed LLC will use a $20.1 million loan and a $20.1 million grant to build a Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network in rural Greene County;
- Gascosage Electric Cooperative, which serves five counties, will use a $7 million loan and a $7 million grant to develop an FTTP broadband network;
- Green Hills Telephone Corp. will use a $2.6 million grant to expand its FTTP network; and
- Marshall Municipal Utilities will use a $575,000 loan and a $575,000 grant to provide high-quality internet access to rural areas of Saline County.
“The USDA’s investment will drastically improve e-connectivity in Greene County and will go a long way to bridging the gap between our rural and urban areas,” said Rep. Long. “This investment will significantly improve internet access in communities like Greene County and will lessen the digital divide.”
Rep. Graves agreed and added that the lack of high-speed internet in northern Missouri is one of the area’s greatest challenges.
“Our schools, businesses and farms all depend on reliable broadband access. The ReConnect program was authorized by Congress to help address this critical need,” Rep. Graves said. “I’m glad that the USDA sees the importance of connecting rural Missouri.”