§950bb–2 — Title 7 Agriculture | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary must create the Innovative Broadband Advancement Program to give grants, loans, or both to eligible groups. The help is for projects that show new ways to build broadband that cut costs and deliver much faster service in a rural area. The law uses the term "rural area" as defined in section 950bb(b)(3). To get help, an applicant must send a plan that shows lower costs and speeds that meet or exceed the buildout requirement in section 950bb(e)(4), show it can do the work, and finish build-out within 5 years after money is first provided. The Secretary will favor projects with partnerships, ones that reach the most rural places at or above the speed requirement, and projects that can be copied elsewhere. Congress authorized $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

Title 7, §950bb–2

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary shall establish a program to be known as the “Innovative Broadband Advancement Program”, under which the Secretary may provide a grant, a loan, or both to an eligible entity for the purpose of demonstrating innovative broadband technologies or methods of broadband deployment that significantly decrease the cost of broadband deployment, and provide substantially faster broadband speeds than are available, in a rural area.

(b)In this section, the term “rural area” has the meaning provided in section 950bb(b)(3) of this title.

(c)To be eligible to obtain assistance under this section for a project, an entity shall—

(1)submit to the Secretary an application—

(A)that describes a project designed to decrease the cost of broadband deployment, and substantially increase broadband speed to not less than the maximum 11 So in original. Probably should be “minimum”. broadband buildout requirements established under section 950bb(e)(4) of this title, in a rural area to be served by the project; and

(B)at such time, in such manner, and containing such other information as the Secretary may require;

(2)demonstrate that the entity is able to carry out the project; and

(3)agree to complete the project build-out within 5 years after the date the assistance is first provided for the project.

(d)In awarding assistance under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to proposals for projects that—

(1)involve partnerships between or among multiple entities;

(2)would provide broadband service to the greatest number of rural entities at or above the broadband requirements referred to in subsection (c)(1)(A); and

(3)the Secretary determines could be replicated in rural areas described in paragraph (2).

(e)There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–334, § 6203(1), substituted “Innovative Broadband Advancement” for “Rural Gigabit Network Pilot” in section catchline. Subsecs. (a) to (d). Pub. L. 115–334, § 6203(4), added subsecs. (a) to (d) and struck out former subsecs. (a) to (c) which defined “ultra-high speed service”, established the Rural Gigabit Network Pilot Program, and set out eligibility requirements for participation in Program, respectively. Former subsec. (d) redesignated (e). Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 115–334, § 6203(2), (3), redesignated subsec. (d) as (e) and substituted “2019 through 2023” for “2014 through 2018”.

§950bb–2 Innovative Broadband Advancement Program

Summary

Title 7, §950bb–2

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata