This week, a New Mexico broadband official appealed to lawmakers on behalf of all residents, asking for billions of more dollars to connect everyone in the state to fiber-optic internet. Source NM reported that Drew Lovelace, acting director of the state’s Office of Broadband Access and Expansion, added that a workforce shortage is also a roadblock.
Lovelace addressed the legislative Land Grant committee, updating them on his office’s internet setup and expansion proposal, due in December. The proposal is necessary for the state to access $675 million in federal funding. According to Lovelace, the state can’t begin using the money to connect unserved or underserved locations until 2025.
Lack of labor is a challenge in New Mexico. Lovelace noted that the state needs workers, including laborers and material movers, trucking crews, trenchers, and fiber and wireless technicians, to expand broadband connectivity. Another issue reported by Source NM is the inaccurate FCC maps, which leave out many tribal lands, some Pueblos, and other unserved locations.
Even with the federal funding, Lovelace said there’s still a $2.1 billion gap in getting fiber to homes and businesses across the state. He urged lawmakers to continue funding his agency in 2024, acknowledging that all the money won’t come at once, but “over time.”
Lovelace also referenced the Connect New Mexico program, which has a $100 million account available. He said that lawmakers need to continue channeling money through — even beyond 2026, which is the current end date.
Lovelace noted that the broadband office, formed in 2021, started with two employees and has expanded to 20. He said the agency wants to grow its headcount to 45 employees. The office also began with an $800,000 budget, which now sits at $1.2 million. He also asked that the agency be removed from under the New Mexico Department of Information Technology in order to expedite processes. “Given how quickly we have to move on some of these programs, waiting six months for a contract to go through is challenging at best,” he said.
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