Business North reports that Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation is meeting next week to discuss a range of items including…

• A $579,272 broadband infrastructure grant to Bois Forte Band of Chippewa to support a $2.3 million project to construct broadband fiber to serve 442 unserved and underserved households within Bois Forte Reservation.

• A $105,450 broadband infrastructure grant to Paul Bunyan Communications – Ash River (Northwest St. Louis Unorganized) to support a $421,800 project to construct broadband fiber to 121 unserved and underserved households in the Ash River area.

• A $236,400 broadband infrastructure grant to Paul Bunyan Communications – Kabetogama Area (Kabetogama and Northwest St. Louis Unorganized) for a $945,600 project to construct broadband fiber to 207 unserved and underserved households in the Kabetogma area.

• A $224,000 broadband infrastructure grant to Paul Bunyan Communications – Morcom Township for a $899,200 project to construct broadband fiber to 126 unserved and underserved households in Morcom Township area.

• A $236,050 broadband infrastructure grant to Paul Bunyan Communications – Elephant Lake & Black Duck Lake (Camp 5 Unorganized Township) for a $944,200 project to construct broadband fiber to 124 unserved and underserved households near Elephant Lake.

  The broadband projects leverage private funding and the Minnesota Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program, said Phillips.

“We’ve always struggled to find a role in broadband,” he said. “But where we’re landing is in a spot where we’ve found a spot for the public match. We’re pretty excited about this because there’s a lot of private money from the providers and there’s a lot of border-to-border money.”