ST. PAUL – State Rep. Dean Urdahl, R-Acton Township, announced the state has awarded a $4.6 million grant to expand broadband internet service in currently unserved or underserved portions of Chippewa County.
The grant has been issued by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s Office of Broadband Development. Officials indicate the funding will allow Hanson Communications to build and operate a Fiber To The Premises network covering the unserved and underserved areas within southwest Chippewa County. There are 283 total fiber passings in the project, DEED indicated.
This project is in partnership with Chippewa County, which DEED said has committed $200,000 to the project.
“Over 68 businesses lacking a 100/20 mbps connection are included in the project area,” DEED said in a release. “Most businesses in the project area are related to agrobusiness, machinery, construction, transportation, services and consumer goods. For livestock operations, broadband is a necessity. Remote monitoring and alarm systems, critical for ensuring the health and safety of livestock, rely heavily on broadband connectivity. Additionally, the process of buying and selling livestock and equipment at online auctions is emerging in the online marketplace.”
“Congratulations to those who successfully submitted this grant application,” Urdahl said. “Fast, reliable internet service is essential in today’s age of communication and this project will help bring certain parts of our region up to speed so we can be on equal footing. I consistently have supported broadband funding during my time in the House and it is nice to see worthy projects such as this become reality to benefit local residents and businesses.”
This project is among 24 that will be funded with state general fund revenues and local matches through the recent Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Round 9. Broadband infrastructure will be expanded in areas of Minnesota that remain unserved or underserved. The Office of Broadband Development, DEED indicated, will work closely with grantees to ensure that households, businesses, farms and community institutions throughout the state have access to high-speed broadband services.
Minnesota’s Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program has been funded with state general fund revenues and federal American Rescue Plan Act Capital Projects Funds. The 2023 Legislature appropriated $50 million each for fiscal years 2024 and ’25.
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