It looks broadband projects in Berrien County may be in line for more funding.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s office announced this week Michigan has been awarded $920 million in federal funds through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment, or BEAD, program. Earlier this year, Berrien County indicated its support for internet service providers seeking part of $1.4 billion in BEAD grants that were to be available in Michigan.
With this week’s announcement from the governor, County Administrator Brian Dissette tells us BC Bit, the county broadband committee, has met with Midwest Energy and Communications and things are looking good for its BEAD application.
“We can say that with our BEAD applications, we were tentatively planning on roughly 1,600 additional addresses to be connected for broadband connectivity,” Dissette said. “So we’re crossing our fingers that all of the addresses will receive bead funding.”
Dissette says the exact number of addresses isn’t yet known, nor is their location, but it appears funding for fiber is headed to the county. That’s despite news back in June that the Trump administration was going to prioritize projects that focused on wireless internet.
“I’m happy to note that it appears that the actual broadband fiber optic lines appear to be what is likely to be awarded in Berrien County. That has always been the preferred technology for the BCBIT members.”
And BC Bit has only ever backed fiber projects over wireless.
Dissette says the county will learn the details about BEAD support for MEC in late January or later into the spring.
