(a)

1. (1) Each ARC grant project shall identify a specific municipality, unincorporated community, or county that will receive broadband coverage.
2. (2) The public official who coapplies for the grant must represent that community.

(b) To be eligible, the municipality, unincorporated community, or county applying for an ARC grant shall have at least:

1. (1) Five hundred (500) people;
2. (2) Twenty percent (20%) of its population currently lacking broadband coverage; and
3. (3) Two hundred (200) people lacking broadband coverage.

(c)

1. (1) Interdependent projects involving the same ISP (see 15 CAR § 189-311(a) and following) are exempt from these eligibility criteria as applied at the level of a single community.
2. (2) Instead, the criteria will be applied to the combined territories of the communities covered by the interdependent projects.