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USDA: $18.7M grant for Duo County to deploy fiber

By Greg Thomas, Public Information Officer | Rural Development
United States Department of Agriculture

Today, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Donald "DJ" LaVoy announced USDA has invested $55.3 million in four, high-speed broadband infrastructure projects in rural Kentucky. These projects, part of the first round ofUSDA's ReConnect Pilot Program investments, will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for more than 12,250 rural households and nearly 100 farms and businesses across Kentucky and northern Tennessee.

"High-speed broadband internet connectivity, or e-Connectivity, is essential today to run a successful business or agricultural operation, access specialized health care or education, and connect with loved ones living far away,"LaVoy said. "Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA has made the deployment of this critical infrastructure in rural America a top priority, because we know that when rural America thrives, all of America thrives."

LaVoy announced the following investments in rural Kentucky:

  • Ballard Rural Telephone Cooperative Corporation will use a $2.4 million ReConnect Program grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network in rural McCracken County. The funded service areas include 578 households and a critical community facility spread over 20 square miles.

  • Duo County will use an $18.7 million ReConnect Program grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network in rural Adair, Cumberland and Russell counties. The funded service areas include almost 3,650 households over 45 square miles.

  • Gibson Electric Membership Corporation will use a $32 million ReConnect Program loan to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network in rural Fulton, Graves and Hickman counties in Kentucky, and in Dyer, Lake, Obion and Weakley counties in Tennessee. The funded service areas include almost 7,400 households spread over 1,056 square miles.

  • Thacker-Grigsby Communications will use a $2.3 million ReConnect Program grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network in rural Breathitt County. The funded service area includes 637 households spread over 109 square miles.



Background:
In March 2018, Congress provided $600 million to USDA to expand broadband infrastructure and services in rural America. On Dec. 13, 2018, Secretary Perdue announced the rules of the program, called "ReConnect," including how the loans and grants will be awarded to help build broadband infrastructure in rural America. USDA received 146 applications between May 31, 2019, and July 12, 2019, requesting $1.4 billion in funding across all three ReConnect Program funding products: 100 percent loan, 100 percent grant, and loan-grant combinations. USDA is reviewing applications and announcing approved projects on a rolling basis. Additional investments in all three categories will be made in the coming weeks.

These grants, loans and combination funds enable the federal government to partner with the private sector and rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure in areas with insufficient internet service. Insufficient service is defined as connection speeds of less than 10 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 1 Mbps upload.

In December 2019, Agriculture Secretary Perdue announced USDA will be making available an additional $550 million in ReConnect funding in 2020. USDA will make available up to $200 million for grants, up to $200 million for 50/50 grant/loan combinations, and up to $200 million for low-interest loans. The application window for this round of funding will open Jan. 31, 2020. Applications for all funding products will be accepted in the same application window, which will close no later than March 16, 2020.

A full description of 2020 ReConnect Pilot Program funding is available on page 67913 of the Dec. 12, 2019,Federal Register (PDF, 336 KB). To learn more about eligibility, technical assistance and recent announcements, visitwww.usda.gov/reconnect.

In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established theInteragency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force's findings to President Trump. These findings included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. Increasing investments in rural infrastructure is a key recommendation of the task force. To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB).

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs 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 areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.


This story was posted on 2020-01-29 12:26:48
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DuoBroadband presented $18.7 million grant



2020-01-30 - Columbia - Photo by Adair Judge Executive Gale Cowan.
The wide smile on DuoBroadband CEO Tom Preston's face says it all about the grant received from the USDA yesterday. The grant is provided to create a fiber-to-the-premises network in rural Adair, Cumberland and Russell counties. The funded service areas include almost 3,650 households over 45 square miles. The grant was presented by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Donald "DJ" LaVoy, to Preston's right. The announcements and awards were made in the Fugitte Science Center on the campus of Lindsey Wilson College in a program led by Hilda Legg, State Director, USDA, at right.

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USDA State Director Hilda Legg welcomes guests



2020-01-30 - Columbia - Photo by Linda Waggener, ColumbiaMagazine.com.
Adair County native and Kentucky USDA Director Hilda Legg welcomed everyone present for the USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Donald "DJ" LaVoy to award grants for high speed broadband internet to this region Wednesday, January 29, 2020. The location chosen for the presentations was the computer lab in the math division of the Fugitte Science Center at Lindsey Wilson College. Legg said to LWC President Bill Luckey, "If you plan for a year, plant rice. If you plan for ten years, plant trees. If you plan for a hundred years - educate children." Education will be one of the beneficiaries of the high speed internet.

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Discussing grant impact to Area Development District



2020-01-30 - Columbia - Photo by Linda Waggener, ColumbiaMagazine.com.
LCADD Executive Director Darryl McGaha at left talks with DuoBroadband Director of Marking Eric West as they discuss the impact to the area of the grants being given out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Mark Coleman, LWC Vice President for Finance is at right.

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DUO Broadband team gathers after grant awards ceremony



2020-01-31 - Columbia - Photo by Linda Waggener, ColumbiaMagazine.com.
DUO Broadband is the new brand name of the Russell County based Duo-County Telephone and it describes the expanded operations of the company which has received $18.7 million ReConnect Program grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network in rural Adair, Cumberland and Russell counties. The funded service areas include almost 3,650 households over 45 square miles. From left at the grant awards ceremony at Lindsey Wilson College are: Tom Preston, Executive VP/CEO of DUO Broadband; Hilda Legg, State Director USDA Rural Development; Bhavini Sokhey, VP JSI; Jerry D. Roy, VP DUO Broadband; Donald “DJ” LaVoy, Deputy Under Secretary of Rural Development; Stephanie Foley, Executive Assistant/HR Coordinator DUO Broadband; Mark Henry, VP Operations DUO Broadband; Shawn Phillips, OSP Supervisor DUO Broadband; Terry Grider, Director DUO Broadband; Rick Eldridge, Engineering Manager DUO Broadband; Bryce Bailey, Professional Engineer DUO Broadband; and Bill Norris, President DUO Broadband.

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At the USDA grant awards presentations



2020-01-31 - Columbia - Photo by Linda Waggener, ColumbiaMagazine.com.
Mark Dykes, at left, CEO of the Bank of Columbia and Vice Chair of the Adair Economic Development Authority, talks with Tressie Burton-Roy and Michele Witt with Kentucky USDA Rural Development at the Wednesday grant announcements program at Lindsey Wilson. At right is Jason McFarland, Executive Vice President of the Bank of Columbia.

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Lindsey staff welcomed USDA guests at awards event



2020-02-01 - Columbia - Photo by Linda Waggener, ColumbiaMagazine.com.
Lindsey Wilson College math professor Rickie Williams at right, and director of student activities Lafawn Nettles, center, were among staff who welcomed U.S. Department of Agriculture representatives and grant award winners to the students' computer lab of the the Jim and Helen Lee Fugitte Science Center.

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Friends in leadership of Columbia and Adair County



2020-02-01 - Columbia - Photo by Linda Waggener, ColumbiaMagazine.com.
Friends in leadership - Columbia Mayor Pamela Hoots, EDA Chairman Bobby Morrison, State Director of USDA Rural Development Hilda Legg and Adair County Judge Executive Gale Cowan - paused for a last minute photo after the grants were presented at Lindsey Wilson College this week.

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