For full story: http://www.usda.gov/2006/05/0158.xml Release No. 0158.06 Ed Loyd (202) 720-4623 Dustin Vande Hoef (202) 690-0498 USDA EXPANDS BROADBAND ACCESS IN MINNESOTA AND SOUTH DAKOTA $3.38 Million Rural Development Loan to Improve Service in Rural Areas WASHINGTON, May 9, 2006 - Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development Thomas C. Dorr today announced that RC Technologies Corporation in New Effington, South Dakota will receive a loan of more than $3 million to expand broadband access in South Dakota and Minnesota. "Broadband can help to put rural communities on a level playing field when competing with bigger cities for new residents and businesses," said Dorr. "When people can live in smaller communities that have a higher quality of life and still compete globally, that presents a great opportunity for rural America." RC Technologies will receive $3,382,000 in funds to provide or upgrade broadband and video service to 2,052 current and potential high speed data subscribers and 4,534 current and potential video subscribers. Service in five counties in South Dakota and one county in Minnesota will be improved because of the loan. The Rural Development Broadband Access loan program was authorized by the 2002 Farm Bill and enables USDA Rural Development to make loans to deploy broadband service to communities with a population of 20,000 or less, with first priority going to communities without broadband service. The loans are low interest and allow for the technology to be market driven. Since the program's inception more than $850 million has been loaned to 57 entities which projects to nearly 300,000 new subscribers in rural America. USDA Rural Development's mission is to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life in rural communities. As a venture capital entity, Rural Development has invested over $63 billion since the beginning of the Bush Administration to provide equity and technical assistance to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business development, and critical community and technology infrastructure. Over 1.1 million jobs have been created or saved through these investments. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov. USDA News oc.news@xxxxxxxx 202 720-4623 ---------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to mailto:webservices@xxxxxxxx?subject=UNSUBSCRIBE and reference your email address.
