U.S. Govt announced $400 million to support high-speed internet for rural areas

Washington, The Gulf Observer: The Biden administration on Thursday announced it would be directing more than $400 million in loans and grants to support high-speed internet projects for rural communities funding which is expected to reach about 31,000 families and businesses across 11 states.
Rural communities are the backbone
“Rural communities are the backbone of our nation and have a broad impact on our economy, but for too long, rural communities have been left out or left behind and under-recognized for their contributions. We’re changing that, and it starts with making sure that rural communities are connected to affordable, reliable high-speed internet,” White House Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Coordinator Mitch Landrieu said on a call with reporters. “Thanks to the hard work of the President, (Agriculture Secretary Tom) Vilsack and the team at USDA Rural Development, our administration is providing more than $400 million in loans and grants to fund high-speed internet infrastructure for rural communities this week.”
Rural areas across the country lack access to high-speed internet
Many rural areas across the country lack access to high-speed, affordable internet largely because installing the infrastructure isn’t worth the investment for internet service providers to take on. The new projects’ funding, which will come through the USDA ReConnect loan and grant program, is aimed at the construction, improvement and acquisition of facilities and equipment to support rural broadband access. Additional announcements for program funding are expected over the course of the summer.
Vilsack said that the $401 million in funding that is being announced today will support 20 projects in 11 states — Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota and Texas.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for us over the course of the next several months to roll out over a billion dollars of investment in connecting people to a better and more modern future,” he added, highlighting how connectivity will give support farmers, expand access to telemedicine in remote areas and expand access to distance learning opportunities.
Nevada Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto said on the call that a portion of the funding will go to projects in her state, including “$21.7 million that will go to improve broadband access in rural Lovelock, Nevada.”