Two providers will rebuild networks damaged by wildfires and flooding
ALBUQUERQUE – The Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) has awarded more than $1.25 million in disaster grants to restore high-speed internet services in Lincoln County for communities hit by wildfires and flooding.
Penasco Valley Telephone Cooperative will receive $1 million and TDS Telecom will get $251,300 through the state's Connectivity to Declared Disaster Areas Grants program. The funding comes from New Mexico's $117 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation dedicated to expanding broadband access.
"The Office of Broadband stands ready to support families and communities recovering from these devastating incidents," said Jeff Lopez, director of OBAE. "Replacing and fixing broadband infrastructure is vital to communities as they work to rebuild."
The grants will fund repairs and replacement of broadband networks in communities damaged by wildfires, floods or other disasters declared by the Governor between 2022 and 2024. All projects must deliver service to locations that are currently unserved (less than 25 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload) or underserved locations (up to 100 Mbps download/20 Mbps upload).
Penasco Valley Telephone Cooperative and TDS Telecom will use their grants to replace and repair broadband infrastructure in Lincoln County, which has been ravaged by wildfires and the resulting flooding during the past year. Most recently, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham requested a major disaster declaration in response to the July 8 flooding in Ruidoso.
Eligible applicants for the OBAE disaster grants have included Tribal governments, local governments, local and state agencies, for-profits, non-profits, cooperatives, and utilities.
Projects funded by these grants must be completed by December 31, 2026.
