OREGON CITY, OR -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to pump more than $27 million into rural broadband services in Oregon. USDA will invest $7 million dollars in a rural Clackamas County internet provider, to bring broadband service to 500 unserved households. The allocation is in addition to $20.5 million dollars in grants and loans for an eastern Oregon telecom announced two weeks ago.

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh made the Tuesday announcement at Clear Creek Communications outside Oregon City. "For too long, there have been rural communities that, in essence, have been left behind because there’s a lack of high speed internet and broadband connectivity. Which really, when you don’t have that connectivity, you’re not part of the digital economy," she told a crowd of telecom managers, "Many of those communities that don’t have that are also struggling with generational poverty. But we want to make sure Oregon is fully engaged in the digital economy, in all parts of this state." 

After a press conference, Bronaugh and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) met with managers of area rural telecom companies to discuss the challenges of providing "last mile" service to customers in far reaching communities. 

In the September announcement by USDA’s office of Rural Development, Oregon Telephone Corporation's funding aims to provide broadband service to nearly 1,200 people in Baker, Grant and Malheur counties.

Photo: Sen. Ron Wyden looks on as USDA Dep. Sec. Jewel Bronaugh announces funding for Clear Creek Communications