USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden announced that the USDA is funding 216 projects in 45 states, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Mariana Islands to bring high-speed internet, clean water, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and economic growth to rural communities. The projects, totaling $772.6 million, will benefit over 1 million people living in remote areas of the country by providing reliable high-speed internet access, clean, safe water, and a range of support for rural families, agricultural producers, and small businesses.
The investments were made possible through historic investments from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. The USDA is also investing $51.7 million to expand access to high-speed internet for people in rural areas across the country through the Reconnect Program and the Broadband Technical Assistance Program. The awards will benefit people living in Alaska, California, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.
