Annapolis, MD — A five-year plan aims to provide 225,000 Marylanders in rural communities with reliable, affordable internet access.
An additional $9.9 million in funding has been made available as part of the first wave of a five-year $100 million initiative to connect the entire state.
The Office of Rural Broadband, part of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, was established to expand broadband capabilities statewide in underserved, rural areas of Maryland.
Projects undertaken by the Office of Rural Broadband include:
- Provided a loan and refinanced $17 million of the City of Westminster’s debt through the Local Government Infrastructure Financing Program for Westminster’s newly completed fiber network. This financing support will ensure that the city’s network is sustainable and will allow for the completion of customer installations over the next three years.
- Awarded grants of up to $100,000 each for 11 small broadband pilot projects in five counties.
- Awarded grants of up to $60,000 each to six counties for broadband feasibility studies. The studies will identify areas lacking broadband facilities, provide guidance for planning and construction, and determine present cost estimates.
- Provided technical assistance and application preparation funding with grants of up to $200,000 for the upcoming USDA ReConnect broadband funding program. The office worked with two applicants, Easton Utilities on behalf of Talbot County and Armstrong Communications on behalf of Harford and Cecil Counties. If the applicants are selected by USDA, they could be eligible for federal grant awards up to $25 million each.
For more information, visit www.dhcd.maryland.gov/RuralBroadband.