ILWACO â Better broadband internet service is likely to remain out of reach to many in Pacific County despite a multi-million dollar loan/grant award from the state, participants in a virtual meeting learned last week.
The Pacific County Broadband Working Group, formed in 2019, met virtually on Dec. 22 to discuss recent, and future, local broadband developments. Broadband is an especially critical issue locally, as officials continue a years-long quest to bring better and more reliable internet service to one of the most rural counties in the state.
Perhaps the most notable piece of news to come out of the meeting was the announcement that the Port of Ilwaco was offered a $3.31 million construction grant and loan â $612,000 in grant funding and $2.7 million in loan funding â from the Washington State Public Works Board. The port is one of just seven entities in the state, out of 30 applicants, to be offered state funding.