Virginia Proposes $700M Investment In Universal Broadband Access

VIRGINIA — Virginia plans to invest $700 million in American Rescue Plan funding to expedite the deployment of broadband infrastructure to unserved areas of the state within the next three years.

Gov. Ralph Northam and Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) met in Abingdon with state lawmakers Friday to announce the proposal for spending a portion of the state’s $4.3 billion in federal relief funding under the American Rescue Plan.

The General Assembly will meet in a special session on Aug. 2 to decide how to spend the funds, as well as discuss the $353 million plan announced by Northam earlier this week to aid small businesses that have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s time to close the digital divide in our commonwealth and treat internet service like the 21st century necessity that it is — not just a luxury for some, but an essential utility for all,” Northam said in a statement Friday. “The pandemic has reinforced how important high-quality broadband is for the health, education, and economic opportunity, and we cannot afford to leave any community behind.”

In May, state officials released a joint statement outlining shared priorities for allocating the $4.3 billion in federal funds available to the state from the American Rescue Plan.

SEE ALSO: Northam Wants To Invest $353M Of Rescue Funds In Small Businesses

Northam made the announcement at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon and was joined by Warner, State Sen. Janet Howell and Del. Luke Torian, who chair the General Assembly’s money committees, and State Sen. Jennifer Boysko and Del. Roslyn Tyler, who head Virginia’s Broadband Advisory Council.

Since 2018, Virginia has awarded about $124 million in broadband grants and connected more than 140,000 homes, businesses and community entities. The state made investments — $50 million in 2020 and an additional $50 million in 2021 — in the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative, a public-private partnership that provides financial assistance to extend broadband service to areas currently unserved by a provider.

“I have lived in a rural area my entire life and I know that the Commonwealth benefits as a whole when we lift up all communities,” Tyler said in a statement. “This investment will have a tremendous impact on countless Virginians and allow our communities to prosper and grow.”