Okanogan County Receives Reconnect Dollars

Thanks to a recently announced $19.1 million grant from USDA’s Rural Development, residents of the Colville Reservation will benefit from improved high-speed internet access.  The tribes will use the funding to expand broadband access to 165 residential customers, six businesses, and 20 farms in Okanogan County.  RD said this project will bridge the digital divide in one of Washington’s most rural areas, creating new opportunities for connection, education, economic growth, and healthcare access.

“Access to high-speed internet is foundational for thriving rural communities. This funding reflects USDA’s commitment to ensuring that rural Americans have access to the tools they need to succeed in today’s digital world," noted Helen Price Johnson, Washington State’s Director of Rural Development.  "For the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, this project will open doors to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities for years to come.”

The ReConnect Program is designed to fund high-speed internet projects in rural, remote, and underserved communities across the nation.  RD sayidthis program is a cornerstone of the Administration’s Internet for All initiative, which aims to connect everyone in America to high-speed internet by 2030.

The Chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Jarred-Michael Erickson, said, "It is difficult to live in the 21st century without good internet access. It's been a challenge to bring the internet to all parts of the Colville Reservation, and this grant will surely make a difference. We would like to thank USDA and the Biden-Harris Administration for recognizing this need and helping to deliver a solution."

In fact, since the start of the Biden Administration, USDA has invested $4.4 billion in 360 ReConnect projects, bringing high-speed internet access to more than 680,000 people in rural America. More than $2.2 billion of this funding—serving an estimated 341,000 people—was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com