Western Governors support the work of the Rural Utilities Service to expand broadband deployment in rural America through the ReConnect Program.
Outreach on Oct. 25, 2019 to Rural Utilities Service Administrator Chad Rupe specifically cited the newly adopted definition of “eligible rural areas,” which provides that at least 90 percent of households in a proposed service area must lack broadband access in order to be eligible for program funding.
And the Governors, in the letter signed by WGA Chair North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Vice Chair Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, also "appreciate that there are various criteria in the definition of 'eligible service area' that seek to prevent over-building of broadband infrastructure or duplication of federal financial support in a single area."
However, the Governors remain "concerned that the ReConnect application requirement that limits funding to the CAF-II support entity is affecting the ability of western communities to access ReConnect connectivity solutions."
