$200 Mln For High-speed Internet Projects In Pennsylvania

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Chief Recovery Officer Jacob Leibenluft joined White House American Rescue Plan Coordinator Gene Sperling and U.S. Senator Bob Casey, Jr. to announce the approval of $200 million for high-speed internet projects in Pennsylvania.

The state will use its funding from the American Rescue Plan’s Capital Projects Fund to connect approximately 44,000 homes and businesses to affordable, high-speed internet.

Pennsylvania’s Broadband Infrastructure Program is designed to fund two types of projects: large-scale regional projects and line extensions. Eligible large-scale regional projects will provide reliable broadband to broad areas of the commonwealth, while eligible line extension projects will extend existing last-mile networks to areas that lack adequate internet service.

The plan approved by the Treasury represents 72 percent of the state’s total allocation under the Capital Project Funds program. Pennsylvania has submitted plans for the remainder of their Capital Project Funds and the applications are currently under review by Treasury.

Treasury began announcing state awards in June of last year. To date, 38 states have been approved to invest approximately $5.4 billion of Capital Project Funds in affordable, reliable high-speed internet, which those states estimate will reach more than 1.62 million locations.

“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 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 added.

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