Reconnect treas rate 50-50 loan-grant infrastructure invest and jobs act grant

The Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service awarded North-State Telephone CO. (doing business as Oregon Telephone) $10,235,126 on May 6, 2026, under the Rural eConnectivity Pilot Program (CFDA 10.752) to deploy broadband infrastructure in rural areas. The award is structured as a 50-50 loan-grant combination funded through the ReConnect program under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Performance occurs in Mt Vernon, Oregon, with a completion date of May 6, 2028. The ReConnect Program provides financing to expand broadband service to rural areas lacking sufficient access, defined at minimum as 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream. Grant and loan-grant combination applications are scored competitively based on rurality, number of farms and businesses served, healthcare and educational facility coverage, service performance, state broadband activities, and presence of tribal lands. Advances are requested by the awardee and made subject to program requirements, with provisions normally allowing advances to be completed within five years.