Tag Archives: coronavirus

CBS MN reports $100M for broadband in latest Infrastructure bill

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CBS Minnesota reports…

A new infrastructure package awaiting President Joe Biden’s signature in Washington includes $65 billion in order to bridge digital divides.

That includes at least $100 million for Minnesota — if not more.

“While the pandemic sort of highlighted the issues that we have and the gaps that we have, the need for the high-speed broadband doesn’t go away when the pandemic is over,” said Marc Johnson, executive director of the East Central Minnesota Educational Cable Cooperative and a member of the Governor’s Taskforce on Broadband.

He pointed to forthcoming data from the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development that indicates 171,000 households in Minnesota have little to no broadband access and another 240,000 are considered underserved because they don’t meet the state goal of broadband speeds of 100/20 Mbps by 2026.

The Erickson’s speed? 5.37 Mbps. That’s the difference between minutes and hours to upload large files. Some Minnesotans have to transfer files overnight to make it work.

Johnson also noted that the legislature this session flagged $70 million for over two years, which will help the state’s efforts to bring everyone online with adequate speeds, he said, but isn’t enough to cross the “finish line.” The parts of the state that need connection are the most expensive.

He noted that $100 million per state for broadband is the baseline, and that number could increase based on need.

“It’s very, very encouraging for the state,” Johnson said. “We’re very excited about that.”

Minnesota Senator and Congress member response to the Infrastructure Expansion Act of 2021

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KARE 11 reports on Minnesota response to the Infrastructure Expansion Act of 2021…

Representative Dean Phillips says the package will provide the following for Minnesota:

  • Highways: $4.5 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and
  • Public transportation: $818 million to improve our public transportation
  • Water Infrastructure: $680 million over five years to improve water infrastructure
  • Bridges: $302 million for bridge replacement and repairs
  • Broadband internet: $100 million
  • Wildfire protection: $20 million
  • Cybersecurity: $17 million

The high level answer is that no Minnesota representatives were on the list of 13 Republicans who broke party ranks to vote for the infrastructure bill. US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar was the only member of the delegation to break party ranks to vote against the infrastructure bill as it advanced without Build Back Better provisions. Here are quick takes from each…

U.S. Congresswoman Betty McCollum

“The Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act is a once-in-a-generation investment in our roads, bridges, and communities. It will help us maintain and improve our existing physical infrastructure, which Minnesotans know all too well is long overdue. It includes funding for clean energy innovation, electric vehicle infrastructure, transportation, and critical improvements to water infrastructure that will help protect public health. Today I voted to send this bill to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.”

U.S. Congresswoman Angie Craig

“Today, we made good on our promises to invest in America’s highways, roads, bridges and broadband for our rural communities. This bipartisan package will create millions of good-paying jobs, help our economic recovery and rebuild our nation’s crumbling infrastructure for future generations. I’m proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to deliver this historic achievement for Minnesotans.”

U.S. Congressman Dean Phillips 

“Investments in roads, bridges, waterways, energy, broadband, and the future of our nation is a unifying need and opportunity,” said Rep. Phillips. “This package will allow our nation to make smart, fiscally responsible investments in our infrastructure and in our people. We must send this legislation to President Biden’s desk as soon as possible, so we can get shovels in the ground and people to work.”

U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar

“From the beginning, I have been clear that I would not be able to support the infrastructure bill without a vote on the Build Back Better Act. Passing the infrastructure bill without passing the Build Back Better Act first risks leaving behind childcare, paid leave, health care, climate action, housing, education, and a roadmap to citizenship.”

“My community cannot wait any longer for these much-needed investments that will be delivered through the Build Back Better Act. I cannot in good conscience support the infrastructure bill without voting on the President’s transformative agenda first.”

U.S. Congressman Jim Hagedorn

“President Biden and House Democrats are working to push the most radical and extreme agenda in American history. Their schemes are littered with reckless leftwing planks to raise taxes, increase deficit spending, impose the Green New Deal, grant amnesty to illegals, expand welfare programs without work requirements, and woke so called “equity” programs that use race and identity to discriminate.

What is at our gates now is a Trojan Horse for the Democrats to force their socialist agenda on the American people. We must vehemently reject these harmful ideas and policies and return to commonsense and the time-tested principles: limited government, free enterprise capitalism, and fiscal responsibility. Only with a return to such principles and fighting for conservative values can we restore America’s greatness.”

U.S. Congressman Pete Stauber

“No one wants an infrastructure bill more than me, and I have long stated that it is important we return to regular order with a bicameral, bipartisan package that invests in traditional infrastructure projects, creates jobs, and spends taxpayer dollars wisely.

Regrettably, Nancy Pelosi and other Democrat leaders made it abundantly clear that the $1.2 trillion Senate infrastructure bill is inextricably linked to their bloated multi-trillion-dollar tax-and-spend package.

Make no mistake; a vote for this “infrastructure” package is a vote for the reckless multi-trillion-dollar tax-and-spend spree. That’s why I voted NO.”

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar

“With this bipartisan infrastructure package we came together across party lines to improve roads, highways, bridges, and public transit while greatly expanding broadband and addressing climate change by upgrading our power grid. We now must work to pass the Build Back Better Act to bring down costs for families, ensure Americans can afford lifesaving medications, and put us on the path to a green energy future.”

Faribault County one step closer to using CARES money for better broadband

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The Fairmont Sentinel reports…

The cities of Bricelyn, Delavan, Elmore and Frost moved another step closer in being able to begin a broadband project to install fiber optic cable in their cities, courtesy of a grant program.

Faribault County Economic Development Authority (EDA) specialist Annie Nichols attended the Faribault County Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday to give an update on the project.

“The first step was to complete an environmental review,” Nichols told the commissioners. “This has been completed and we are waiting for the go ahead from DEED (Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development) to post it for review from other government agencies.”

Nichols asked the commissioners to set Dec. 21, during their regularly scheduled meeting, for a public hearing on the matter.

“This grant is money from the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and. Economic Security) Act,” Nichols reminded the board. “I would also ask you to consider contracting with CCG Consulting to prepare the necessary documentation according to state and federal regulations. CCG Consulting is a full-service telecom consulting company and they have extensive knowledge on the grant programs.”

The board passed a motion to hire CCG Consulting to develop a RFP (Request for Proposal) and contract for an ISP (Internet Service Provider) and engineer for the project.

National Grange encourages US House members in MN to invest in broadband

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MinnPost posts a column from Betsy Huber of president of the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, encouraging US Representatives to move forward with broadband funding…

Families across America’s heartland have had a difficult year and a half. The COVID-19 pandemic, the economic troubles it caused, and an ongoing labor shortage have made it more difficult than ever for America’s hardworking families in rural and agricultural communities to unlock the full potential of our modern economy.

This is especially true for those communities that disproportionately lack access to affordable and reliable broadband internet. To secure a future of prosperity for America’s rural communities, we need to completely bridge the digital divide and ensure every American has access to the digital technologies that support success in our modern world.

Substantial positive investments toward achieving the national goal of bridging the digital divide through broadband deployment, financial support for broadband service and digital skills training were included in the bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Investment Act recently passed by the U.S. Senate. Now, America’s rural communities are counting on the U.S. House of Representatives to swiftly pass this package, including the $65 billion down payment on closing the broadband gap.

The broadband investments included in the bipartisan infrastructure package and additional permanent solutions are urgently needed.

She appeals to MN legislators…

We encourage House lawmakers, including Reps. Jim Hagedorn, Angie Craig, Dean Phillips, Betty McCollum, Ilhan Omar, Tom Emmer, Michelle Fischbach and Pete Stauber, to swiftly pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and then build on the positive momentum for action by advancing additional solutions, like ensuring financial support for broadband is enough for families in every community to afford service.

Every American community, especially those in the heartland, is counting on their leadership to bridge the digital divide.

Kandiyohi County commits $330,000 ARP funding to broadband in Prinsburg

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The West Central Tribune reports…

The Kandiyohi County Board of Commissioners has approved earmarking $330,000 of American Rescue Plan dollars toward a fiber-optic broadband project in Prinsburg. All premises within the city limits will have access to high-speed broadband after the project is constructed.

More details…

Prinsburg is considered underserved by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, with available wireline broadband internet speeds of at least 25 megabits download and 3 megabits upload. However, that is below the state standard of 100 megabits download and 20 megabits upload speeds to be considered served.

“It is a digital world today,” and cities such as Prinsburg need the internet speed to meet it, said Connie Schmoll, broadband consultant for the Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission.

To try and bridge that gap and offer the higher speeds to residents, Prinsburg is partnering with Arvig Enterprises to construct a $1 million fiber-optic broadband system for the city. When complete, every premises within the city limits would have access to the state standard broadband speeds.

Arvig has committed to funding $450,000 toward the project, as well as providing all costs above $1 million. The city of Prinsburg will be using $45,000 of its American Rescue Plan Act economic stimulus funds for the project and will also be providing another $175,000 plus city legal and accounting fees.

“It falls in line with other projects we are looking at,” Schmoll said of the cost.

Kandiyohi County will be funding the remaining $330,000 for the project through its own American Rescue Plan Act allocation. The County Board approved allocating the funds at Tuesday’s meeting.

“Our board is very committed to broadband,” said Commissioner Corky Berg. “We do want to see the whole county eventually get it.”

The County Board has seriously been  considering earmarking the vast majority of its $8 million American Rescue Plan Act allocation to broadband projects across the county. It has already approved funding for a few projects, including $1.3 million to a project that will expand high-speed broadband to Dovre, Mamre, St. Johns and Arctander townships.

US Treasury opens Capital Projects Fund application September 24

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The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society gives a nice outline of the latest with Federal Funding for broadband…

This week, the Department of the Treasury released guidance for the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund program established by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The program allocates $10 billion for eligible governments to carry out critical capital projects that directly enable work, education, and health monitoring, including remote options. Projects eligible for funding must be designed to address a critical need that results from, or was made apparent or exacerbated by, the COVID-19 public health emergency. A key priority of this program is to make funds available to recipients that would like to make investments in high-quality, affordable broadband infrastructure and other digital connectivity technologies.

They outline who is eligible and what is required. (Primarily states are eligible.) Looks like they’ve peeked at the MN playbook – networks should serve areas not already served with 100 Mbps down and 20 up. Networks should scale to 100/100. They go beyond that to ask recipients to prioritize fiber and gov/public/nonprofit/coop ownership.

The good news is that the applications are open today – and I’m pretty sure Minnesota is ready. (That’s a “Minnesota pretty sure;” they have been ready and waiting for a while.

Access to tele-mental-health increases during pandemic

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KSTP reports on increased access to tele mental health services during the pandemic, thanks to telehealth services and relaxed regulations

One of the bigger challenges highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic has been the need to boost access to mental health care in many areas in the state.

In less populated areas of Greater Minnesota, change is taking place due to the work of a group of mental health professionals and other stakeholders who started working on the access issue even before the pandemic began.

For the first time, licensed drug and alcohol counselors are now eligible for Minnesota’s state-run loan forgiveness program.

“These recommendations highlight the need for continued efforts to strengthen the mental health care system in Greater Minnesota,” said Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm. “Mental health is an essential part of a person’s overall well-being, and the stresses of the pandemic have made it more important than ever to ensure everyone in Minnesota can access quality care when they need it. This report is an encouraging step toward that goal.”

In May 2019, the Rural Health Advisory Committee formed a workgroup to assess mental health care in the rural parts of the state. The work group convened six times from 2019 to 2020 and hosted three regional listening sessions to learn from rural communities in different parts of the state. Those in Greater Minnesota often lack access to critical mental health services, due in part to an insufficient mental health workforce with a ratio of 1,518 people to each mental health provider in isolated rural areas as compared to 304 people per provider in metropolitan areas.

Wabasha County to invest $1 million American Rescue Plan funds on broadband

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Post Bulletin reports…

Wabasha County Administrator Michael Plante said the county board voted to commit $1 million of its $4.2 million American Rescue Plan money to expanding rural broadband access. While counties across the country still have questions on the federal guidelines for spending those funds – Plante said the county will hire a consultant to ensure it follows those guidelines to the letter once their hammered out – he envisions a grant program where internet providers can apply through a request for proposals, letting the county know what projects they prioritize in rural areas for their clients.

“Land-wise, a significant portion of the county is either unserved or underserved,” Plante said. “Primarily, we’re good in the cities. Population-wise, a substantial portion does have those internet capabilities. But businesses and families in the more rural areas need access to that.”

According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, underserved areas are places with wireline broadband of at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload, but less than 100/20 Mbps. Unserved areas are places with no wireline broadband of at least 25/3 Mbps.

Not everyone pushed for broadband…

Not everyone was supportive of the plan to spent $1 million on rural broadband. Wabasha County Commissioner Brian Goihl said that between the lack of guidance from the federal government, the fact that the county has until Dec. 31, 2023, to put plans in place and another three years for project completion, and other pressing spending needs in the county, he’d prefer to spend the $1 million on other projects.

FCC announces second ECF application window; $5.137 billion requested in first window

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An announcement from the FCC…

The FCC announced  that requests for $5.137 billion in funding to support 9.1 million connected devices and 5.4 million broadband connections were received during the Emergency Connectivity Fund Program’s initial filing window.  The window, which closed August 13, 2021, attracted applicants from all 50 states, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia – including schools and libraries in both rural and urban communities seeking funding for eligible equipment and services received or delivered between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022.  Additional information about the demand at the state level can be found here.

In view of outstanding demand and the recent spike in coronavirus cases, the FCC will open a second application filing window for schools and libraries to request funding from the roughly $2 billion in program funds remaining for connected devices and broadband connections for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons for the current 2021-22 school year.  The second window will open on September 28 and run until October 13.  Eligible schools and libraries will be able to apply for financial support to purchase eligible equipment and services for students, school staff and library patrons with unmet needs.

ECF Demand: Minnesota

  • Amount Requested for Equipment: $50,636,008.93
  • Amount Requested for Services: $12,232,818.32
  • Total Funding Requested: $62,868,827.25

Telehealth in MN – how to find it, what insurance pays for, how to get it

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The UpTake has a useful article on the how-tos and some of the whys of telehealth policy during/because of COVID. It might be helpful to folks you know (or you) but also I think it’s helpful as a policymaker or community leader to think about telehealth from the perspective of the patient or provider.

How does insurance coverage for telehealth work in Minnesota since the pandemic…

Minnesota has been following the federal recommendations for COVID-19 emergency telehealth coverage since March 2020, including requiring that insurers cover telehealth sessions at the same rate as in-person appointments. At the time this article is written, clients’ homes are still considered an appropriate originating site for telehealth appointments.

This means that your insurance company should continue to cover your telehealth sessions at this time, and you would have the same out-of-pocket expense as if you had come to the office in person. It also means that your insurance will not require you to travel to an approved originating site.

Currently, Minnesota’s emergency telehealth coverage is tied to the federal state of emergency. Coverage is ongoing, as the pandemic is ongoing. States that have made changes to these policies have given a minimum of 30 days notice, and providers have a responsibility to be attentive to these regulations. As changes occur, providers will give their clients as much notice as possible about how this might impact their treatment and options for services.

How does it work for telehealth work for providers…

The state of Minnesota requires that clinicians submit a statement indicating that they are qualified to provide telehealth services. This is something that clients do not need to do, and the therapist has the responsibility to take this step prior to providing telehealth services.

What if my provider is not in MN…

Since before the pandemic began, licensure requirements for mental health professionals have been based on the client’s physical location at the time of service. This means, as a therapist, I must be licensed where my client is when they check in for a telehealth session.

Previously, Minnesota had allowed out-of-state providers to offer telehealth services to Minnesota residents due to the COVID-19 state of emergency. This has been important for those living near boarders who had received in-person services in another state but now needed to be seen from home for safety reasons. However, this reciprocity is no longer in effect.

This means that providers in South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin now need their clients to either come in person to the office or use an approved originating site across the border based on that state’s guidelines.

How can I get the services I need…

If you are uninsured, Walk-In Counseling Center continues to offer telehealth services in Minnesota, and Open Path Collective offers a national therapist directory to help individuals find low-cost therapy services.

If you have insurance, you can reach out to your insurance company to see which Minnesota providers are paneled with your plan. You can ask questions about which services are covered and whether you have to meet a deductible or will have a copay for each visit.

Pew Reports on the Internet and the pandemic: almost half with broadband said they had problems with speed

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Pew Research reports…

Results from a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults conducted April 12-18, 2021, reveal the extent to which people’s use of the internet has changed, their views about how helpful technology has been for them and the struggles some have faced.

The vast majority of adults (90%) say the internet has been at least important to them personally during the pandemic, the survey finds. The share who say it has been essential – 58% – is up slightly from 53% in April 2020. There have also been upticks in the shares who say the internet has been essential in the past year among those with a bachelor’s degree or more formal education, adults under 30, and those 65 and older.

A large majority of Americans (81%) also say they talked with others via video calls at some point since the pandemic’s onset. And for 40% of Americans, digital tools have taken on new relevance: They report they used technology or the internet in ways that were new or different to them. Some also sought upgrades to their service as the pandemic unfolded: 29% of broadband users did something to improve the speed, reliability or quality of their high-speed internet connection at home since the beginning of the outbreak.

They looked into the impact of the digital divide too…

Some Americans’ experiences with technology haven’t been smooth or easy during the pandemic. The digital divides related to internet use and affordability were highlighted by the pandemic and also emerged in new ways as life moved online.

For all Americans relying on screens during the pandemic, connection quality has been important for school assignments, meetings and virtual social encounters alike. The new survey highlights difficulties for some: Roughly half of those who have a high-speed internet connection at home (48%) say they have problems with the speed, reliability or quality of their home connection often or sometimes.2

Beyond that, affordability remained a persistent concern for a portion of digital tech users as the pandemic continued – about a quarter of home broadband users (26%) and smartphone owners (24%) said in the April 2021 survey that they worried a lot or some about paying their internet and cellphone bills over the next few months.

From parents of children facing the “homework gap” to Americans struggling to afford home internet, those with lower incomes have been particularly likely to struggle. At the same time, some of those with higher incomes have been affected as well.

Affordability and connection problems have hit broadband users with lower incomes especially hard. Nearly half of broadband users with lower incomes, and about a quarter of those with midrange incomes, say that as of April they were at least somewhat worried about paying their internet bill over the next few months.3 And home broadband users with lower incomes are roughly 20 points more likely to say they often or sometimes experience problems with their connection than those with relatively high incomes. Still, 55% of those with lower incomes say the internet has been essential to them personally in the pandemic.

Essentia Health in Duluth gets nearly $1 million from FCC for telehealth

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The FCC reports…

The Federal Communications Commission today approved an initial set of 62 applications for funding commitments totaling $41.98 million for Round 2 of its COVID-19 Telehealth Program.  Health care providers in each state, territory, and the District of Columbia, including those previously unfunded in Round 1, will use this funding to provide telehealth services during the coronavirus pandemic.  The FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program supports the efforts of health care providers to continue serving their patients by providing reimbursement for telecommunications services, information services, and connected devices necessary to enable telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, access to health care has proven to be not only a national issue, but also a local issue, and it is imperative that every community is given the tools to access this care as safely and effectively as possible.  The FCC is committed to ensuring that every state and territory in the United States receive funding as part of this program,” said FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.  “The FCC took action earlier this year to establish a system for rating applications in Round 2, factoring in the hardest hit and lowest-income areas, Tribal communities, and previously unfunded states and territories.  Now even more doctors and nurses in every corner of our country can establish or expand telehealth services to support patients and their families.”

This first set of awards will go to applications that qualify for the equitable distribution step, as required by Congress and outlined in the FCC’s rules, to ensure nationwide distribution of funding to health care providers in each state, territory, and the District of Columbia.  This step funds the highest-scoring applications in every state, territory, and the District of Columbia plus the second highest-scoring application from the states and territories that did not receive funding in Round 1, if multiple applications were submitted from those areas.

Round 2 is a $249.95 million federal initiative that builds on the $200 million program established as part of the CARES Act.  Now that funding has been committed to the highest-scoring applications from each state, territory, and the District of Columbia, the next funding awards will commit funding to the highest-scoring applications, regardless of geography, until at least $150 million has been committed.  The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau will then announce an opportunity for all remaining applicants to supplement their applications, as required by Congress.  After all remaining applicants have the opportunity to supplement, the remaining program funding will be committed.

Here’s the Minnesota recipient…

Essentia Health in Duluth, an integrated health system in Minnesota, serving patients in the upper Midwest, was awarded $981,204 to support the acquisition of remote monitoring devices and video carts with peripheral cameras and stethoscopes/EKGs for care during the pandemic, and to increase wireless broadband coverage at eight clinics to allow for additional space for telehealth patients.

There’s a hiccup preventing some people from getting Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB)

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Public Knowledge reports…

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in our country, millions of Americans cannot connect to the internet because they can’t afford to, preventing them from going to school, working, accessing government benefits and connecting with friends and family. To remedy this problem, Congress created the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB), which offers low-income consumers a $50 discount on their internet bills. Unfortunately, because of a shortcoming in the National Verifier, the database used to verify consumer eligibility for the program, many of those in need do not access this important benefit, ultimately keeping the digital divide open.

Let’s paint the picture of how. Imagine you can’t afford broadband, and learn that, because you participate in a relevant federal program (like SNAP, Medicaid, free/reduced school meals, etc.), you are eligible for the EBB. Huzzah! To apply, you are told to use the Lifeline National Verifier. The Verifier is intended to be a one-stop shop to verify consumer eligibility for the EBB based on their participation in a different federal program. The idea is that eligible consumers enter their information on the National Verifier website and are approved if the database shows they do, in fact, participate in one of the qualifying federal programs. However, the Verifier doesn’t always work that way, because it doesn’t have data about participation in all qualifying programs. So, frustratingly, if the Verifier doesn’t have data about the program you quality through, you have to go through a whole big process to get documentation that you are eligible. Since you don’t have a lot of time on your hands as the head of a household, and don’t have the internet, you never end up enrolling and stay without internet.

The article goes on to explain how this happen – in short info on the relevant federal programs is not necessarily centrally or easily accessible. That leaves the onerous task of proving need to the potential recipient, who likely has issues accessing broadband if they are applying for EBB. I can only imagine the frustration of the user who knows they get SNAP (for example) but it’s not coming up on the database. We’ve all been there when something doesn’t work online and for many the first response is to assume user error.

The author does offer a solution…

How do we solve this problem? Congress must step in by enacting legislation to require that any agencies that have data share it with USAC in a timely manner, and to clarify that data sharing for verification purposes is legal. To the extent Congress needs to exempt such data sharing from existing privacy laws, it should include that in the legislation. Such laws are intended to protect a recipient’s privacy, but are not intended to be a roadblock to participation in other benefits programs. Moreover, the data to be shared is sufficiently minimal that it does not carry with it the broader privacy risks addressed by our privacy laws. Absent Congressional action, we will be left with a patchwork system, enabling some consumers to breeze through the application process, while others cannot.

The ease of enrollment directly correlates to the number of consumers that enroll. If we want to ensure that the EBB (and any future broadband subsidy) can fulfill their purpose of getting low-income consumers connected and narrowing the digital divide, Congress must ensure that all potential participants can be automatically verified through the Verifier.

Appleton, Benson, Madison and Redwood County get grants from MN DEED

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The West Central Tribune reports…

The Department of Employment and Economic Development recently announced that 15 Minnesota communities, including Appleton, Benson, Madison and Redwood County, will receive significant grants to improve broadband services and make other community improvements. The grants are part of the federal CARES Act.

Appleton, Benson, Madison and Redwood County will receive grants ranging from $678,000 to $3.7 million.

Details on the grants…

According to DEED, the city of Appleton received $3,699,000 for broadband improvement and commercial rehabilitation, the city of Benson received $678,000 for retrofitting buildings, the city of Madison received $2,560,000 for broadband improvements and Redwood County received $1,715,607 for broadband improvements.

Greenwood Township looks at local, state and federal options for broadband funding

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The Timberjay reports on broadband funding and hopes for Greenwood Township…

Chairman Mike Ralston told the Greenwood Town Board that the township’s $5.5 million request for broadband funding is part of the just-approved Senate Infrastructure bill, having been put on the list by both Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar.
This funding, if approved by the House of Representatives and signed by President Joe Biden, would provide the vast majority of the estimated $6.6 million project.
The township will also be applying for grant funding from a new St. Louis County broadband program that will award a maximum of $400,000, and grant dollars from the IRRR.
Greenwood Township also received $50,316 in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, but whether the board will set aside those funds for a local match to the proposed broadband project is yet to be determined. The township will receive a similar amount in 2022.

Supervisor Sue Drobac asked Ralston why other board members weren’t informed that the township had received the American Rescue Act funding as of the end of July. She said that members of the township’s broadband committee had submitted their own application.
“We need more communication,” Drobac said. “We spent a lot of time on this.”
Ralston agreed, and said he had sent the application to Deputy Treasurer Tammy Mortaloni to complete.
“There was a long list of COVID-related items we could use it for,” he said.
The board asked the broadband committee, which includes Drobac and Supervisor Barb Lofquist, to be in charge of submitting the grant to the new St. Louis County broadband program, which will distribute a total of $1.75 million in American Rescue Plan monies for broadband projects. That grant application is due in September.
The board voted down a motion by Drobac to place the $50,316 in American Rescue Plan dollars into a restricted broadband account, with Ralston and Supervisors Carmen DeLuca and Paul Skubic all voting against.
The board then approved, unanimously, a motion that any grants written specifically for broadband infrastructure would go into a restricted account. This still leaves the township the option of using some or all of the $50,316 for the broadband project.
A survey for township residents to gauge interest in receiving broadband should be available on the township website, www.greenwoodtownshipmn.com, and all township property owners will be mailed a letter urging them to complete the study, or to return a paper copy as soon as possible.