Feds giving Oregon another $26 million for internet access

About $700 million in funding

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last week it was devoting about $26 million to projects in Oregon. The lion’s share of the funding is a $25 million grant to Pioneer Connect, an internet and telecommunications provider serving about 1,300 square miles of the Willamette Valley and the central Oregon Coast.

Pioneer Connect Grant

• Pioneer Connect General Manager Jim Rennard said the grant will cover the full cost of extending fiber-optic cables to about 1,530 locations — mostly homes — in a 350 square-mile area of small, Coast Range communities including Tidewater and Triangle Lake.
• About 79% of Oregonians have access to high-speed internet at home, compared to a national average of 71%, according to a recent report by the Oregon Broadband Office.
• Rennard expects Pioneer Connect to begin construction after about a year of engineering and planning. The service provider already received $25 million through the USDA’s ReConnect program to extend internet access to about 1,500 people in rural Benton and Lincoln counties, Rennard said. Construction on the first phase of that project could begin sometime next year, he said.

Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians Grant

• The Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, which is headquartered in Roseburg, will receive $482,000 through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Tribal BroadBand Connectivity Program.
• Lindsay Campman, a spokesperson for the tribe, said the money will jump-start planning for internet and cellular connections across rural Douglas County. The project’s focus will be a tribal community of about 50 households in rural Myrtle Creek, she said.
• Campman said the COVID-19 pandemic made clear that internet and cell service is essential for all members of the tribe, especially kids who need to tap into remote learning platforms for school. She said it’s common that parents have to drive their kids to Roseburg to access the internet.

Canby Telephone Association Grant

• The Canby Telephone Association also received a $735,000 grant to help pay for a project routing fiber to about 25 households near Mount Angel in Marion County.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Federal funding has poured into Oregon as part of the Biden administration’s Internet for All Initiative. The 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $65 billion to expand high-speed internet access and bridge the digital divide, particularly in rural and tribal communities. Advocates and White House officials say internet access is a necessity for employment, school, health care and more facets of modern life.

Internet deserts dot the state outside of the Willamette Valley and the populous Interstate-5 corridor. Parts of central and eastern Oregon have especially high concentrations of households that can’t access the internet, according to the report.

About $700 million in funding

Earlier rounds of federal assistance under the Biden administration include a $30 million grant for broadband services in Clackamas County; about $40 million of combined grants and loans in Wasco County; and grants to seven tribal governments including the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, which received almost $7 million for fiber installations to connect 936 tribal households.

Along with the direct grants to tribal governments and service providers, Congress earmarked billions of dollars for state governments to invest in high-speed broadband. Oregon expects about $689 million.

Oregon aims to connect 100% of households to broadband but concedes that the current federal funding won’t be enough to get the job done. Current funding “will deliver broadband to most but not all of the unserved and underserved addresses in Oregon,” according to the state office report.

According to Batz, the cost of connecting all needed locations with fiber cable — which is the “strong preference of the federal government” — is about $2.9 billion.

About Oregon Capital Chronicle

The Oregon Capital Chronicle is a professional, nonprofit news organization. We are an affiliate of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. The Capital Chronicle retains full editorial independence, meaning decisions about news and coverage are made by Oregonians for Oregonians.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The article discusses the allocation of federal funding to expand high-speed internet access in Oregon. This directly relates to SDG 9, which aims to promote sustainable industrialization, foster innovation, and improve infrastructure.

SDG 4: Quality Education

The article mentions the importance of internet and cellular connections for remote learning platforms, especially for children in rural tribal communities. This aligns with SDG 4, which focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The article highlights the challenges faced by rural and tribal communities in accessing high-speed internet due to geographical barriers. SDG 11 aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, including by providing universal access to basic services such as internet connectivity.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Target 9.c: Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the internet in least developed countries by 2020

The article discusses the efforts to extend fiber-optic cables and improve broadband access in rural and tribal communities in Oregon. This aligns with Target 9.c, which aims to increase access to information and communications technology, including the internet.

Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship

The article emphasizes the importance of internet access for remote learning platforms, particularly for children in tribal communities. This relates to Target 4.4, which focuses on providing relevant skills for employment and entrepreneurship.

Target 11.a: Support positive economic, social, and environmental links between urban, peri-urban, and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning

The article highlights the challenges faced by rural communities in accessing high-speed internet due to geographical barriers. This aligns with Target 11.a, which aims to strengthen development planning and promote positive links between urban and rural areas.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article mentions several indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

– Percentage of population with access to high-speed internet

– Percentage of households with broadband access

– Availability of internet and cellular connections for remote learning platforms

These indicators reflect the level of progress in achieving universal and affordable access to the internet, improving broadband infrastructure, and ensuring access to educational resources through internet connectivity.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: ijpr.org

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