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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Greetings!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">For those of you in rural areas that are looking for ways to work with potential broadband providers, you may find the following of interest.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">U.S. Department of Agriculture<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Release No. 0221.15<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Contact: Anne Mayberry (202) 690-1756<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">USDA Announces Available Funding for Farm Bill Broadband Loan Program<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">WASHINGTON, July 30, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the availability of loans to build broadband in rural areas, along
with changes to the program required by the 2014 Farm Bill.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">"USDA is committed to providing broadband to rural areas," Vilsack said. "Broadband is as vital as electricity was 80 years ago. Since 2009, USDA
investments have delivered broadband service to 1.5 million households, businesses, schools, libraries and community facilities. But our work is not done. With program improvements and available funding made possible by the Farm Bill, we can continue our work
to make broadband more accessible to those who live and work in rural areas."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">In a rule published on page 45397 of the July 30 Federal Register, USDA is establishing two funding cycles to review and prioritize applications
for the Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee program. USDA also is setting a minimum level of acceptable broadband service at 4 megabits downstream and 1 megabit upstream. USDA urges applicants to design systems that allow for 25 megabits downstream
and 3 megabits upstream to meet future needs. USDA is accepting comments on these changes through September 28.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">To be eligible for funding, an applicant must serve an area where at least 15 percent of the households are unserved. Applications with the most
unserved households will be processed first.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The maximum loan amount under today's announcement is $20 million. Applications will be accepted through September 30, 2015. For more information,
see page 45504 of the July 30 Federal Register.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The 2014 Farm Bill builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the previous five years while achieving meaningful reform and billions
of dollars in savings for taxpayers. USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit;
funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve the quality of life in rural areas.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Federal Register announcement may be found at the following URL:
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-07-30/pdf/2015-18623.pdf">http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-07-30/pdf/2015-18623.pdf</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The link to the RUS webpage that contains information about the program and application forms is at the following URL:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><a href="http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/farm-bill-broadband-loans-loan-guarantees">http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/farm-bill-broadband-loans-loan-guarantees</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Cheers,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Darci</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<br>
</span><b><span style="color:#D16309">Ask me about the Edge Initiative!</span></b><span style="color:#002060"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="color:#002060">------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#002060">Darci Hanning * Technology Development Consultant<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#002060">Library Support and Development Services * Oregon State Library<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#002060">250 Winter St. NE, Salem, OR 97301<br>
<b>503-378-2527 </b></span><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="mailto:darci.hanning@state.or.us" title="blocked::mailto:darci.hanning@state.or.us"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:blue">darci.hanning@state.or.us</span></b></a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#002060"> <br>
</span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D">FOLLOW US</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D">:
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