Governor Scott Walker and the Public Service Commission (PSC) this week announced $7 million in new Broadband Expansion Grant Awards. The 37 new grants will extend high-speed internet access to as many as 1,100 business locations and 14,000 residential locations. The awards announced today are preliminary. They will be finalized upon the issuance of the Commission’s written decision and the expiration of a 10-day appeal process.
“Because of the truly transformative power of broadband we are awarding more than $7 million to extend high-speed internet in Wisconsin,” said Governor Walker. “With these grants we are continuing to build on our investments into broadband throughout the state to ensure that Wisconsin families and businesses have access to technology and information they need to excel. Broadband access is revolutionizing education, health care, and business just like electrical revolutionized farming for my grandparents.”
This grant round provides awards to counties that had not received previously received a Broadband Expansion Grant. Counties receiving a grant award for the first time include Adams, Brown, Calumet, Green Lake, Lincoln, Outagamie, Racine, Richland, Sawyer and Waushara counties.
In Lincoln County, the Charter Communications cable project in the Town of King was awarded $372,223. This project will extend Charter Communications cable facilities in the Town of King, in Lincoln County just east of the City of Tomahawk. The project will build past 10 businesses and 247 homes (and 57 vacant lots).
Additional projects will continue to build out broadband service in Bayfield, Buffalo, Chippewa, Iron, Oneida, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, St. Croix and Walworth counties. These are projects that have been implemented in stages over several grant rounds to provide a robust communications infrastructure for businesses and residents in those areas.