U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the Department is investing $19.5 million to bring high-speed internet access to people living and working in rural Michigan.
“Investing in high-speed internet is a fundamental part of our partnership with rural communities,” Secretary Vilsack said. “Connecting rural Americans with reliable internet brings new and innovative ideas to the rest of our country. Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, USDA is committed to ensuring that the people who make up the rich tapestry in rural areas have every opportunity to succeed – and that people can find those opportunities right at home in their communities.”
Alpha Enterprises Limited, Inc. is receiving a $19.5 million grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network that will connect 1,023 people, 19 businesses and 10 farms to high-speed internet in Chippewa and Mackinac counties. Alpha Enterprises Limited, Inc. will make high-speed internet affordable through the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity and Lifeline programs. The project will serve socially vulnerable communities in Mackinac County.
“We are continuing to seek partners to help bring high-speed connections to rural Michigan communities,” said USDA Rural Development State Director for Michigan Brandon Fewins. “This is yet another example of how we can tailor projects to a specific region.”
The $63 million in grants comes from the third funding round of the ReConnect Program, in which USDA invested a total of $1.7 billion. Since the beginning of the ReConnect program, the Department has invested $3.2 billion to bring high-speed internet access to people in rural communities across the country.
To be eligible for ReConnect Program funding, an applicant must serve an area that lacks access to service at speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) (download) and 20 Mbps (upload). The applicant 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 its proposed service area.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
To subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit the GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
To subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit the GovDelivery subscriber page.