On January 20, the Industrial Education and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee of the Minnesota House of Representatives held a hearing on HF14, a bill that would help finance the broadband network’s buildout throughout greater Minnesota.
Rep. Rob Ecklund (DFL-International Falls) is sponsoring HF14, which, if passed, would add $120 million to the 2022- 2023 biennium state border to-border initiative. Senator Tom Bakk (DFL-Cook) is sponsoring the companion bill SF22 in the senate.
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, a nonprofit leading the fight against the proposed Twin Metals, and PolyMet copper sulfide mines near the Boundary Waters, support the legislation.
“To protect clean water and the Boundary Waters, we need to really get out of the traditional comfort zone of an environmental nonprofit. The economic well being of the communities in the Arrowhead region of Minnesota is intimately connected with the wilderness’s future. Rural broadband is one way to help bolster the economic prospects of the communities at the edge of the wilderness,” says Chris Knopf, executive director at Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness.
The Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program was established in 2014. Grants are primarily given to acquire and install middle and last-mile infrastructure for high-speed broadband Internet service in un-served and underserved areas. The fund was given $20 million for 2021 and has received a total of $105.6 million since 2014.
The goal is that all Minnesota businesses and homes have access to high-speed broadband that provides a minimal download speed of 25 megabits by 2022, and by 2026 the goal is to have all homes and businesses have access to 100 megabits per second with upload speeds of at least 20 megabits per second.
In a telephone interview, Knopf explained why the Boundary Waters’ Friends wanted to sponsor the Broadband initiative.
“We are trying to be practical and proactive. If we as an organization can only attract a few people wearing flannel shirts, we aren’t going to be relevant. We want to be an outreach to people and let people know that we really care about the stances we take. We don’t want to be just an activist organization that exists in a vacuum and doesn’t care about people who have a different viewpoint from ours.”
Knopf further explained that the Friends organization is like a three-legged stool, with three supporting pillars:
Wilderness: “Through our Two Mines, One Threat initiative, we are leading the effort to protect the Boundary Waters and Lake Superior from the threats posed by the Twin Metals and PolyMet proposed copper-sulfide mines using litigation, legislation, and community action,” said Knopf.
People: “Through our No Boundaries to the Boundary Waters Program, we connect young people of all backgrounds to the Boundary Waters through classroom education, online programs, and scholarships for wilderness canoe trips.”
Community: “Through our Thriving Communities Program, we support economic and other initiatives to make the communities that are gateways to the Boundary Waters stronger, recognizing that these communities must prosper in order for the wilderness to be truly protected,” he said.
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness recently hired a Community Coordinator, Hudson Ledeen, based in Ely, to work closely with community members, support local events, listen, and work on economic development projects.
“I am very excited about our recent hire of Hudson Ledeen as our Community Coordinator and our future efforts to be a good nonprofit citizen and support Ely, Grand Marais, and other communities that are gateways to the Boundary Waters,” said Knopf.
Currently, said Knopf, Hudson is working to help save the theater in Ely. He is attempting to secure grants as a way to keep the enterprise going. Like many theaters across the country, rules to protect the public against COVID-19 have shut down many movie houses.
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