President Joe Biden speaks during an event about high speed internet infrastructure, in the East Room of the White House, Monday, June 26, 2023, in Washington.
to provide reliable and affordable internet service for every home and business in the U.S. by 2030. Achieving that ambitious goal could transform places like Luna County, allowing new businesses and remote learning, telemedicine and other services that require reliable internet service. States must commit to first connecting unserved locations that lack access to internet download speeds of at least 25 megabits per second and upload speeds of 3 Mbps. According to the map the Federal Communications Commission used to determine each state's allotment, more than 7% of the country falls into this category.
Once the initial proposals are approved, states can access up to 20 percent of their allotments to begin awarding grants to telecommunications companies, electric cooperatives and other broadband providers. The remaining 80 percent of funds will be released once the federal government approves a separate, final proposal, which outlines, among other details, how states plan to hold the internet providers they've selected accountable for spending the money properly.
“There are many more requirements in place for states to demonstrate that they have planned for this funding and they have engaged the public and evaluated options,” de Wit said.