Feds activate almost $22 million to create high-speed internet to rural Pender PENDER COUNTY — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue arrived during the Pender Commerce Park on Friday early early morning when it comes to statement of a $21.6-million grant to roll away high-speed fibre optic internet to significantly more than 6,853 houses in Pender County — addressing significantly more than 1 / 2 of Pender County’s roughly 930 square kilometers.