(BEDFORD) – State Sen. Eric Koch (R-Bedford) made the following statement today regarding the governor’s announcement of the next round of awards for the Next Level Connections Broadband Grant Program.
“The Next Level Connections Broadband Grant Program is an important opportunity for rural counties to improve and expand access to reliable broadband.
“The Orange County Rural Electric Membership Corporation is receiving more than $1.5 million for projects that will benefit Lawrence County, as well as Orange and Washington counties, with two projects that will serve 207 households, 31 farms and five businesses. The South Central Indiana Rural Electric Membership Corporation is receiving more than $1.89 million and will improve access for 420 households and four businesses in Brown and Monroe counties, as well as Owen County.
“As a co-author of Senate Enrolled Act 460, which passed during the 2019 legislative session and established the Rural Broadband Fund, I’m encouraged to see a growing number of communities benefit from these grants.
“Since the passage of Senate Enrolled Act 376 in 2017, which I authored, Indiana’s Rural Electric Membership Cooperatives have been using their existing electric infrastructure to provide high-speed broadband internet service to communities throughout the state.”
Sen. Koch serves Senate District 44, which includes all or parts of Bartholomew, Brown, Jackson, Lawrence, and Monroe counties.
