California will receive $540.2 million in federal funds to connect 127,000 homes and businesses to high-speed internet as part of President Biden’s signature economic stimulus legislation.
The grant, announced Thursday in San Bernardino, is the largest for Internet access in any state under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan.
“The pandemic upended life as we knew it and exposed the stark inequity in access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet in communities across the country, including rural, tribal, and other underrepresented communities,”said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo.
“This funding is a key piece of the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic investments to increase access to high-speed internet for millions of Americans and provide more opportunities to fully participate and compete in the 21st century economy,” he said.
The announcement was made in the Orchid Drive neighborhood of San Bernardino that will benefit from the new broadband service.
“Access to high-speed internet is a necessity, not a luxury,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar, who represents the area. “I’m proud of the funding we’ve secured in Congress to ensure all families in California can access reliable internet.
“I want to thank President Biden for highlighting this critical investment in the Inland Empire. It’s going to help students reach their full potential, businesses better serve our communities and help people connect with one another,” he added.
The grant will fund California’s Last Mile Broadband Expansion program, which seeks to provide internet access to areas of the state currently lacking access to reliable broadband at speeds of 25/3, or 25 megabits download and 3 megabits upload.
