A Broadband Infrastructure Program grant awarded by the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) will bring digital access to approximately 100,000 currently underserved residents. The $204 million in funds will support 53 separate projects, reports State Scoop.
“To create more opportunity for all Pennsylvanians, we must expand access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet,” stated Uri Monson, PBDA board chair and state budget secretary. “The broadband infrastructure awards made today are yet another step toward making that a reality while responsibly managing this funding to ultimately save Pennsylvanians money on the critical internet services they need for the best quality of life.”
Beneficiaries of the various grants will include both residential households and businesses, which will gain high speed broadband access. The bulk of PBDA’s funding comes from federal Capital Projects Funds released through the U.S. Treasury Department. The program was initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic to help foster critical capital development projects at the state level. Matching grants from private investors are expected to contribute an additional $400 million for broadband outreach.
“As Pennsylvanians increasingly rely on broadband to live healthy and productive lives, expanding access to the internet is essential to creating opportunity for folks all across the Commonwealth,” PBDA Executive Director, Brandon Carson told the State Scoop. “These projects will leverage historic federal funding and private investment to connect communities to the internet–and the PBDA will continue working to make this a reality for even more Pennsylvanians.”
Reader Interactions