Saint Paul, Minn. – Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced a round of grants totaling $34 million for 42 broadband expansion projects across the state. One of the locations included in the list is Fayal Township in St. Louis County. The grant appropriates $263,345 for Mediacom to provide access to 167 households and three businesses currently without service, and to improve access to 92 households deemed to be underserved. With a $411,898 local match, the total project cost is $675,243.
Rep. Jason Metsa (DFL – Virginia) released the following statement:
“I’m thankful for the grants that were announced today by DEED and am pleased that these 259 homes in my district will now be able to get online. The reality though is that in total, these projects are a drop in the bucket relative to the statewide need when it comes to broadband. Last year, the Governor’s Broadband Taskforce recommended $100 million each biennium to fully expand access to all corners of the state.
“The Range Association of Municipalities and Schools (RAMS) emphasized their strong support for more broadband funding, and I’ve heard my communities and school districts loud and clear. I’ll continue to fight for more funding, and to make sure we are reaching unserved communities first.
“Looking at the calendar, the year is 2017, not 1997. Families, students, and businesses all need top-notch broadband access to be competitive in our economy. These grants certainly represent a step in the right direction, but we need to step up to the plate to make sure all Minnesotans can get connected to fast, reliable internet.”