Asheville, NC  -- August 18, 2010 -- The US Dept of Commerce announced today that MCNC has been awarded $75.5 million in Broadband Recovery Funds through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA’s) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). The proposal, entitled the Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative, will build approximately 1300 miles of new middle-mile fiber throughout the state. ERC Broadband, as a sub-recipient of this award, will be building over 100 miles of new middle-mile fiber in five western North Carolina counties. See here for entire MCNC article.