New Hampshire § 12-O-61 - Section 12-O:61 Broadband Matching Grant Initiative Established.

§ 12-O-61. Section 12-O:61 Broadband Matching Grant Initiative Established.

I. There is hereby established within the department of business and economic affairs a broadband matching grant initiative, the purpose of which shall be to provide matching grants to broadband providers, political subdivisions, and communications districts in order to improve broadband availability across the state. When awarding grants, the department shall take into consideration broad geographic coverage of broadband services in New Hampshire and participation of political subdivisions and broadband providers in the grant process that will support business and residential users. II. Eligible projects shall provide high speed Internet access in unserved areas of the state that lack access to broadband services, as defined in RSA 38:38, I(f), from at least one broadband provider. III. Any broadband provider, political subdivision, or communications district formed under RSA 53-G shall be eligible for a grant of up to 75 percent of the total eligible costs of a project. Projects under construction at the time of application shall be ineligible, unless the provisions of RSA 12-O:62, VIII apply. Projects in the planning stages shall be eligible.