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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F4E79">Greetings (and please pardon the duplicate post) – this may of interest to libraries in rural areas who are looking to bring in and/or improve their broadband connection.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F4E79">Please see below regarding an announcement about the USDA’s new program, ReConnect, via the NTIA’s BroadbandUSA organization. There is also an information flyer attached for more
details.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F4E79">Cheers,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:3.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:black">Darci Hanning, MLIS<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:3.0pt;line-height:115%"><b><span style="line-height:115%;color:#1F4E79">Public Library Consultant / CE Coordinator<br>
</span></b><span style="color:#1F4E79"><a href="mailto:darci.hanning@state.or.us"><b><span style="line-height:115%;color:#2E74B5">darci.hanning@state.or.us</span></b></a></span><b><span style="line-height:115%;color:#1F4E79"> | 503-378-2527</span></b><b><span style="color:#1F4E79">|
</span></b><span style="color:#1F4E79"><a href="https://www.oregon.gov/library"><b>www.oregon.gov/library</b></a></span><b><u><span style="color:#0563C1"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:3.0pt;line-height:115%"><span style="color:#1F4E79"><br>
<img border="0" width="342" height="43" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D492DF.8DC6DF10" alt="cid:image005.png@01D31C27.4B9FEA30"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F4E79"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> BroadbandUSA [mailto:BroadbandUSA@ntia.doc.gov]
<br>
<b>Subject:</b> NTIA Congratulates USDA for Announcing its $600 million Broadband Program, ReConnect<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#002060">Good Afternoon,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#002060">Today, Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator David Redl issued the following statement on the
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#C00000"><a href="https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usda.gov%2Fbroadband&data=02%7C01%7CBroadbandUSA%40ntia.doc.gov%7C42b2d1f826594dafccb808d661331d25%7Cd6cff1bd67dd4ce8945dd07dc775672f%7C0%7C0%7C636803269543459876&sdata=%2BZKMdprSoOO5ntbPseThu5Qk4JxIBWFvM%2BcwdKla1TM%3D&reserved=0"><span style="color:#C00000">U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#002060"> announcement of a </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#C00000"><a href="https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usda.gov%2Fmedia%2Fpress-releases%2F2018%2F12%2F13%2Fusda-launches-new-program-create-high-speed-internet-e-connectivity&data=02%7C01%7CBroadbandUSA%40ntia.doc.gov%7C42b2d1f826594dafccb808d661331d25%7Cd6cff1bd67dd4ce8945dd07dc775672f%7C0%7C0%7C636803269543469881&sdata=Zw%2Fklcd3syiDclOCEPs1FGP5AcNPJK8CpAZ9ry%2BSzII%3D&reserved=0"><span style="color:#C00000">$600
million loan and grant program</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#002060"> to assist with building rural broadband infrastructure:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#002060">“The Administration is taking an important step to help close the broadband coverage gap for the millions of rural Americans who lack access to broadband connectivity with the launch of the U.S. Department
of Agriculture’s </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#C00000"><a href="https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Freconnect.usda.gov%2Fs%2F&data=02%7C01%7CBroadbandUSA%40ntia.doc.gov%7C42b2d1f826594dafccb808d661331d25%7Cd6cff1bd67dd4ce8945dd07dc775672f%7C0%7C0%7C636803269543479890&sdata=bMwzEkWQehuAKevoW93%2Fd0cSxy81xZ7j7P4W3WwJ%2F6U%3D&reserved=0"><span style="color:#C00000">$600
million grant and loan program</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#002060">. NTIA looks forward to providing technical assistance to potential applicants through its partnership with USDA’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS).
<a href="https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbroadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov%2F&data=02%7C01%7CBroadbandUSA%40ntia.doc.gov%7C42b2d1f826594dafccb808d661331d25%7Cd6cff1bd67dd4ce8945dd07dc775672f%7C0%7C0%7C636803269543479890&sdata=xer3t50diJ%2F6nFK794r%2FBN%2BVAnyNknf716O%2By%2BYgK80%3D&reserved=0">
<span style="color:#C00000">NTIA’s</span><span style="color:#002060"> </span><span style="color:#C00000">BroadbandUSA</span></a> team has extensive experience working in the telecommunications industry, building broadband networks and consulting with service
providers and local governments. Using this expertise, our team will be supporting educational materials and workshops to help applicants with the grant and loan process.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#002060">The statement is available here:
</span><span style="color:#C00000"><a href="https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ntia.doc.gov%2Fspeechtestimony%2F2018%2Fstatement-assistant-secretary-redl-usda-loan-and-grant-program&data=02%7C01%7CAMeacham%40ntia.doc.gov%7C1488ba74dbbb41f0b55308d661332dbf%7Cd6cff1bd67dd4ce8945dd07dc775672f%7C0%7C0%7C636803269774281292&sdata=bp8ywglEldxGsQ5NvLMXPQt1AJPehiAj8vxYBMMVluE%3D&reserved=0"><span style="color:#C00000">https://www.ntia.doc.gov/speechtestimony/2018/statement-assistant-secretary-redl-usda-loan-and-grant-program</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#0070C0"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#002060">We have also attached USDA’s Fact Sheet about the program.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#002060"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#002060">Best regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#002060">BroadbandUSA Team<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><o:p></o:p></p>
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