The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that the department is investing $58 million in Tribal communities in Nevada, Oklahoma and South Dakota to support economic development, high-speed internet deployment, and modern infrastructure.
“Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is committed to Tribal economic development and removing barriers for Tribal nations,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said.
“When we invest in modern infrastructure for people who live in Tribal communities, we create a ripple effect that impacts everyone,” he said. “USDA is committed to building our economy from the middle out and bottom up by bringing high-speed internet, clean water, and critical infrastructure to people in small towns and communities everywhere, especially in places that have been underserved for far too long.”
In a March 12 press release, USDA highlighted projects that will benefit from this funding announcement.
The Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota received a $35 million grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to provide high-speed internet. The department said this project will deliver high speed internet to 3,300 people, 47 businesses, 55 farms, and seven educational facilities in Bennett and Oglala Lakota counties.
The Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma will use a $22 million grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to provide high-speed internet. This project will deliver high speed internet to nearly 2,000 people, 12 businesses, and 100 farms in Le Flore County.
