REGIONAL- The Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation will be sending out $1.6 million to support four North Country projects related to broadband, infrastructure, and housing after action taken at Tuesday’s board meeting.
The Bois Forte Band of Chippewa will receive $261,184 to complete construction of a fiber-to-the-home buildout to bring high speed broadband to the Bois Forte Reservation. The Band received a similar grant for the project in 2019. The new grant will support 50 percent of the increased construction costs incurred due to ledge rock encountered and higher material costs.
Community Infrastructure Grant
The city of Tower will receive a $370,345 community infrastructure grant to support new water and sewer utilities, storm water, road reconstruction and airport technology upgrades to public locations and sites throughout the community including roadways, the historic Tower Depot and Train Museum campus, Lakeview Cemetery and the Tower Municipal Airport.
Infrastructure and construction related to a new three-story, 37-unit market rate workforce apartment building in the city of Ely will be supported with an $850,000 grant.
A portion of a $130,000 housing grant awarded to North St. Louis County Habitat for Humanity will go toward rehabilitating a home in Tower to meet Habitat’s energy efficiency standards for plumbing, wiring, and insulation. The bulk of the funds will support construction of five new homes in Hibbing, Buhl, and Virginia.