That would be more of an honor if the press release announcing the 126 grants being awarded by the US. Department of Agriculture to boost internet service in rural areas didn't describe the recipients as 'persistent poverty counties.' Yippee.
Still, money is money, and this is a lot of it. According to a list of projects released by the USDA yesterday, the lucky recipients in the NYC watershed are the Deposit Telephone Company, which is getting $3.1 million, and Mid-Hudson Cablevision, which is getting $3.5 million.
Congressman Scott Murphy has taken the opportunity to crow about Mid-Hudson's grant. Helpfully, he names exactly which towns will benefit. From a Murphy press release:
This funding will allow Mid-Hudson Cablevision to expand coverage in Columbia and Greene counties, specifically the Towns of Ashland, Jewett, Lexington, Cairo, Catskill, Windham, Coxsackie and New Baltimore in Greene County, and The Towns of Taghkanic, Copake, Claverack, Ghent, Chatham, Hillsdale and Austerlitz in Columbia County.
You'll notice that that list does not include Jefferson, a town in Schoharie County which was agitating to be included in the federal broadband plans last month. (The telephone company that serves Schoharie County, the Middleburgh Telephone Company, didn't get a grant.)
It's less clear where the Deposit company will be putting its money. According to the USDA's project description, some of it will be going to Pennsylvania:
This $3.1 million grant to Deposit Telephone Company with an additional $1 million of outside capital will bring high- speed DSL broadband service to unserved establishments in New York and Pennsylvania. Deposit Telephone's project stands to benefit approximately 2,700 people and over 70 businesses. In addition to the jobs this project will create upfront, it will help drive economic development and create jobs for decades to come.
