Baldwin Delivers $28 Million for Internet Expansion in Five Wisconsin Counties

WISCONSIN – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) announced that the Reedsburg Utility Commission will receive a $28 million loan to connect thousands of rural residents, farmers, and business owners in Richland, Dane, Iowa, Juneau, and Sauk Counties to reliable, affordable high-speed internet. The funding comes from the ReConnect Program, funded by the Baldwin-supported Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

“High-speed internet is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity for Wisconsin families in every corner of the state to attend school, work remotely, run their businesses, and connect with friends and family,” said Senator Baldwin. “I supported the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law because it is connecting thousands of Wisconsinites to fast, reliable broadband, especially for communities that for too long have been left behind, while also growing our economy. I am proud to support this loan that will connect more families, businesses, and farmers in South Central Wisconsin to the internet they need to participate fully in our economy.”

This Rural Development investment will be used to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to provide high-speed internet. This network will benefit an estimated 9,661 people, 319 businesses, 689 farms, and eight educational facilities in Richland, Dane, Iowa, Juneau, and Sauk counties in Wisconsin. Reedsburg Utility Commission will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program.

The Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development Broadband ReConnect Program is uniquely designed to provide grants and loans to the most difficult high-speed internet projects in the nation, which are the most rural, remote, and unserved communities. Many residents and businesses in rural areas would not have high-speed internet service without the ReConnect Program. The funding is part of the USDA’s announcement of nearly $700 million in grants and loans to connect thousands of rural residents, farmers, and business owners in 22 states to reliable, affordable high-speed internet through the ReConnect Program.

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