The Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus helped their member celebrate broadband projects in their areas…
Minnesota State Senator Eric Lucero (R-St. Michael) today celebrated the announcement of a $2.55 million Border-to-Border broadband grant that will bring high-speed internet access to 1,227 households, businesses, and community institutions in the city of Nowthen.
“Access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet is absolutely critical to participate in our 21st-century economy,” Senator Lucero said. “Bringing broadband Internet to our underserved community will create new career potentials, provide access to telehealth services, allow for additional work-from-home options, enable greater educational opportunities, support our local businesses, and more.”
Sen. Lucero is a cyber-security professional working in the digital communications, networking, and technology space for over twenty years in his private sector career and has been a strong proponent the last nine years during his time in the Legislature advocating for the advancement of bandwidth and other innovation capabilities.
The $2.5 million state grant is part of a $8.5 million total project cost, which will have a $5.95 million local match including $800,000 from the city of Nowthen and $150,000 from Anoka County. The funding will enable Comcast to build a fiber optic network delivering speeds up to 1 Gigabit per second. The project will reach 1,227 locations that previously lacked modern broadband service.
Senator Mark Koran (R-North Branch) today applauded the announcement that East Central Energy has been awarded a $4.9 million Border to Border broadband grant from the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development to expand high-speed internet access in Isanti County. This grant is part of $66.8 million awarded statewide for 30 critical broadband infrastructure projects.
“Reliable and affordable high-speed internet is more than critical infrastructure; in the 21st century, it is an absolute necessity to participate in our economy,” Senator Koran said. “I want to thank the Office of Broadband Development for investing in East Central Energy’s fiber network that will connect nearly 2,000 homes, businesses, and farms to some of the fastest internet speeds available today.”
PROJECT DETAILS
East Central Energy – Isanti South
- Total eligible project cost: $18,267,826
- Grant amount: $4,900,000
- Local match: $13,367,826
With funding support from the State of Minnesota and funding partnerships with Chisago County ($2,000), Isanti County ($39,600), North Branch Township ($9,600), Lent Township ($1,000) and the City of North Branch ($100), East Central Energy will cover 1,990 passings to at least 100 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload, and access to Gbps connectivity, exceeding Minnesota’s 2026 state speed goal. A fiber-to-the-premises network will benefit households, businesses, and farms, furthering community and economic development by saving time, money, and other resources. A high-speed fiber network will provide critical e-learning access to students and training resources to businesses in the project area. 89.4% of businesses in Isanti County have fewer than 20 employees and will greatly benefit from ECE’s affordable pricing model for small, local businesses. In addition to skills development and telework opportunities that reliable internet supports, ECE’s fiber network will enable resource optimization for agricultural lands and managed vegetation through supporting the use of precision agriculture tools. The impacts of ECE’s fiber-to-the-premises network will be felt throughout the community, supporting diverse strategies for community and economic development.
Senator Carla Nelson (R-Rochester) applauded the announcement that KM Telecom has been awarded a $1.9 million Border to Border broadband grant to expand high-speed internet access to 221 households, businesses, farms, and community institutions in rural Olmsted and Dodge Counties.
“As a strong advocate of the Border-to-Border broadband program, I am thrilled that this grant will continue bridging the digital divide for residents of our area,” Senator Nelson said. “High-speed internet access is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity for people to fully participate in education, business, health care, and civic life. This grant will truly be life-changing for families currently struggling with slow, unreliable internet service — or families with no service at all. Thank you to KMTelecom for their dedication to providing affordable high-speed internet access for everyone.”
PROJECT DETAILS
KM Telecom — Rural Byron & Salem Corners Fiber Build
- Total eligible project cost: $3,862,092
- Grant amount: $1,931,046
- Local match: $1,931,046
This last-mile project in SE Minnesota will serve 221 households, businesses, farms, and community institutions. The project area is primarily located in Olmsted County with partial coverage of Kalmer and Salem Townships. It also covers a small portion of Mantorville Township within Dodge County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, KMTelecom will offer up to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. This rural fiber build is an extension of the gig-capable network currently serving Kasson, Mantorville, Rock Dell and surrounding rural areas. The improved network will provide the necessary high-speed broadband connectivity for these rural residents to finally experience reliable access to e-learning, telehealth, and telework. The network will also allow farming operations to increase their productivity and improve their access to the latest agricultural technologies.
For Senator Miller… [added July 18]
Senator Jeremy Miller (R-Winona) today celebrated the announcement of Border-to-Border broadband grants for two projects in southeastern Minnesota. The grants, totaling over $4 million, will provide critical broadband infrastructure to underserved areas of Fillmore County.
“High-speed internet has become a necessity as important as electricity,” Senator Miller said. “These past few years have really magnified how essential broadband access is in our daily lives. In Greater Minnesota, there are still too many communities that do not have access to high-speed internet. We are making significant progress every year and grants like these make a world of difference in people’s lives.”
PROJECT DETAILS
Harmony Telephone Company – Rural Preston Fiber-To-The-Premises
Total eligible project cost: $2,611,089
Grant amount: $1,044,436
Local match: $1,566,653
The North Preston Rural Fiber-to-the-Premises Project will serve 68 households, businesses, and farms in the rural portions of Fillmore County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Harmony Telephone Company (HTC) will improve unserved levels to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload on their fiber network, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. This network is vital to their rural community and economy.
Harmony Telephone Company – North Fountain Fiber-To-The-Premises
Total eligible project cost: $7,477,595
Grant amount: $2,991,038
Local match: $4,486,557
The North Fountain Fiber-To-The-Premises Project will serve 311 households, businesses, and farms in Fillmore County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Harmony Telephone Company (HTC) will improve unserved levels to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload on their fiber network, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. Building a fiber-to-the-premises network will improve access to education and healthcare services. It will also increase employment as businesses leverage this new network and telecommuting opportunities become available.