SNOHOMISH COUNTY, WA – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced $714 million in ReConnect Loan and Grant Program funding to connect rural residents, farms and businesses to reliable, high-speed internet. This includes a $2,980,652 loan for the Hat Island Telephone Company to provide affordable high-speed internet to 93 people, six businesses and one farm. Hat Island Telephone Company has provided service to Hat (Gedney) Island since 1964.

“Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, reliable, high-speed internet is coming to rural Snohomish County,” said Larsen, the lead Democrat on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. “Congress must build on bold, long-term investments in broadband like the BIL to close the digital divide and ensure more people in rural communities can log on for job opportunities, grow their business, access telehealth appointments, do homework, and connect with family and friends.”

"Today marks a significant milestone for rural communities and the future of internet connectivity,” said George Henny, Co-CEO of Hat Island Telephone Company and Whidbey Telecom. “The USDA's decision to grant a loan for deploying a fiber-to-the-premises network to Hat Island Telephone Company is a testament to the importance of high-speed internet in fueling economic growth. Reliable broadband access is the backbone of resilience for rural areas, and fiber infrastructure paves the way for better access to jobs, healthcare, and educational opportunities. We are honored to be a part of this unprecedented investment in our local community.”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, an estimated 735,000 people in Washington state do not have an internet connection in their homes. An additional 500,000 households rely solely on limited cell phone data plans, while 30,000 households still use slower dial-up services.

Larsen a Champion of Broadband Investments

Larsen has long been a supporter of robust federal investment to deliver reliable, high-speed internet to more Northwest Washington communities.

• State Awards of American Rescue Plan Funding – Last month, the Washington State Department of Commerce awarded $121 million in grants for 19 broadband construction projects, including $26,157,178 for six projects in Point Roberts, Bow and the San Juan Islands in Washington’s Second Congressional District. The grant funding comes from the state’s investment of the federal Coronavirus Capital Project Fund, which was established as part of the American Rescue Plan in March 2021.

• Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – Larsen supported the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which invests $65 billion over five years to deliver affordable, high-speed internet to every American, including $2 billion for the USDA’s ReConnect Loan and Grant Program. To date, Washington has received $5 million through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD) to help provide access to high-speed internet across the state. In addition, about 272,000 households in Washington are enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program. Households can check their eligibility, sign up and find fully covered internet plans at GetInternet.gov.

• Fiscal Year 2024 Spending Bill – Larsen supports Reps. Abigail Spanberger (VA-07) and Zachary Nunn’s (IA-03) bipartisan request to provide robust funding for rural broadband initiatives at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including the ReConnect Program, in the upcoming Agriculture spending bill.

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