News Releases

Houchin: Five rural broadband grants awarded in Senate District 47

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Elizabeth Vos, Press Secretary
Elizabeth.Vos@iga.in.gov
317-232-9539

Kristen Gorski, Deputy Press Secretary
Kristen.Gorski@iga.in.gov

Houchin: Five rural broadband grants awarded in Senate District 47

STATEHOUSE (Sept. 9, 2020) – State Sen. Erin Houchin (R-Salem) announced five rural broadband projects were awarded grant funding to improve internet service in Senate District 47, as part of the Next Level Connections Broadband Grant Program.

“Representing a rural district in Southern Indiana, I understand the importance of improving access to affordable and efficient high-speed internet service,” said Houchin. “I was pleased to have authored Senate Enrolled Act 460 in 2019, which established the Rural Broadband Fund, and am proud to see communities taking advantage of the associated grants, including those right here in District 47. Broadband service is easily taken for granted in many areas of the state, but far too many Hoosiers still do not have the access they need to do business, communicate, participate in virtual learning, and more. I will continue working on this until we bridge the digital divide in every corner of the state.”

The following award recipients in Senate District 47 will provide broadband service to unserved areas:

  • Mainstream Fiber Networks – Crawford County
    This project will serve roughly 1,041 unserved households, 128 businesses and 25 anchor institutions in Crawford County. The requested grant amount is more than $3.06 million, with a local match of more than $2.71 million, for a total project cost of more than $5.77 million.

  • Orange County Rural Electric Membership Corporation – Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties
    This project will serve 84 households, 13 farms and two businesses in Lawrence, Orange and Washington counties. The requested grant amount is $809,441, with a local match of more than $1.07 million, for a total project cost of more than $1.88 million.

  • Orange County Rural Electric Membership Corporation – Lawrence and Orange counties
    This project will serve 123 households, 18 farms and three businesses across two counties. The requested grant amount is $702,967, with a local match of more than $1.64 million, for a total project cost of more than $2.34 million.

  • Orange County Rural Electric Membership Corporation – Dubois and Orange counties
    This project will connect seven households, six businesses and two anchor institutions in portions of Dubois and Orange Counties. The requested grant amount is $680,993, with a local match of $417,382, for a total project cost of more than $1.09 million.

  • Perry-Spencer Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc. - Dubois County
    This project will serve 679 unserved locations in Dubois County. The requested grant amount is $5 million, with a local match of more than $2.81 million, for a total project cost of more than $7.81 million.

The second round of the Next Level Connections Broadband Grant Program includes $51 million for 50 broadband infrastructure expansion projects across the state, and is the largest single state investment in broadband. In total, rounds one and two of the program have awarded more than $79 million for broadband infrastructure for more than 21,900 homes and commercial locations in 41 counties.

For further information on the program, visit www.in.gov/ocra/3018.htm.

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For a high-resolution photo of Sen. Houchin, click here. 


Sen. Houchin joins local officials at the Mainstream Fiber Networks Announcement in Crawford County on Sept. 9, 2020.