U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Wisconsin State Director Julie Lassa announced a $28 million ReConnect Loan to Reedsburg Utility Commission to provide reliable, affordable high-speed internet to nearly 10,000 people in Southwest Wisconsin.
“Reliable high-speed internet connects business owners to customers and new markets, expands educational opportunities for students, and enables people to access medical care without leaving their home,” said Lassa. “I’m pleased to announce this $28 million ReConnect Loan to the Reedsburg Utility Commission as it will bring new opportunities to residents and businesses in rural Southwest Wisconsin. It’s part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to investing in rural infrastructure for every American.” (Audio: Mp3, 27 seconds, 644 KB)
Reedsburg Utility Commission will use the $28 million ReConnect Loan to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network benefiting 9,661 people, 319 businesses, 689 farms and eight educational facilities in Richland, Dane, Iowa, Juneau, and Sauk counties. Reedsburg Utility Commission will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
Today’s high-speed internet investments are part of the fourth funding round of the ReConnect Program. Many residents and businesses in rural areas would not have high-speed internet service without the ReConnect Program, as the program is a key part of the Administration’s Internet for All initiative to connect everyone in America to high-speed internet by 2030. Today’s announcement includes $667 million in USDA investments in Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and the Marshall Islands.
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