Madison County to use USDA grant to improve broadband access

WAMPSVILLE, N.Y. — Madison County will use a $10.1 million federal grant to construct, improve, or acquire facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband service in rural areas “without sufficient, reliable internet access.”

The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the USDA’s ReConnect program, the offices of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) and U.S. Representative Claudia Tenney (R–New Hartford) announced in separate news releases.

Madison County will use the grant to deploy a high-quality fiber network to connect 798 households, 2,170 people, 30 businesses, and 50 farms across over 48.21 square miles.

“In today’s world, your internet connection can determine your destiny,” Tenney said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has driven the point home that those who lack bandwidth, lack opportunity. With this funding, Madison County residents will be able to access greater educational, healthcare, and business opportunities.”

The grant will allow an increase of broadband access, which Madison County Board Chairman John Becker said is “one of my goals.”

“With better access to high-speed internet, Madison County will be an even better place to live, go to school, and do business,” said Becker. “Thank you to all of our residents who took part in our survey, as well as those who voiced their concerns over the years whether it was about lacking service or even being unhappy with their current service options. Thank you to everyone who worked hard to secure this grant for Madison County. This money is a major game changer for our community.”

This funding for the USDA ReConnect program was provided in the Agriculture Appropriations Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law in February 2019. The federal investment was authorized a year earlier in the 2018 Farm Bill, which Tenney supported in the 115th Congress, her office noted.