Emailing "USDA Has $342 Million to Dish Out"
The [.pdf file](http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rd/newsroom/2008/09-17-08-Broadband_Telecom.pdf) is dated September 17th, the press release is dated September 24th, and we heard about it today.
The USDA announced that it has awarded $342 Million 18 companies.
WISPs are small. If the USDA were serious about supporting local firms, it would dish out the money in smaller amounts. The myriad obstacles to obtaining this money, and the incentive within the government bureaucracy to hand out cash only to big firms, mean that the money helps rural communities far less than it should.