Murkowski, Sullivan Applaud An Extra $124.4 Million in Broadband Funding for Western and Southwestern Alaska

WASHNGTON—U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (each R-Alaska) applauded the announcement of a further $124.4 million in federal broadband grants for Western and Southwestern Alaska.  

The Nationwide Telecommunications and Data Administration (NTIA) Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) introduced Tuesday  that the Bethel Native Company obtained a $42 million grant to construct a fiber community for Bethel, Platinum, Eek, Napaskiak, and Oscarville, $52.6 million to Calista to put in fiber throughout 10 villages within the area, and $29.5 million to Choggiung Restricted to attach unserved households within the Bristol Bay area. The USDA’s Rural Utilities Service ReConnect program introduced in July that GCI additionally obtained a $31 million grant to assemble long-haul fiber and native fiber throughout communities in Western Alaska. 

“Congratulations to the Bethel Native Company, Calista, Choggiung, and the various communities within the YK Delta and Southwest Alaska who will profit from these awards,” mentioned Senator Murkowski. “Over the past two years, I labored with my colleagues to draft and enact bipartisan laws that’s translating right now into lengthy awaited investments in broadband infrastructure. By means of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and the Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Act, I used to be capable of create and safe funding for broadband connectivity applications in Native communities. I do know these investments in expanded connectivity will carry new alternatives for schooling, healthcare, and financial growth. Because of all who’re working to broaden broadband connectivity throughout Alaska, particularly our unserved and underserved communities.”

“Entry to high-speed, dependable web may be life-changing for a neighborhood, enhancing the supply of well being care and schooling, and opening doorways for small companies and entrepreneurs,” mentioned Senator Sullivan. “A lot of our rural, Alaska Native communities for too lengthy have discovered themselves with out the broadband connectivity that almost all Individuals take with no consideration. I’m glad to see the numerous federal infrastructure {dollars} we secured being deployed to interrupt down the digital divide and enhance the lives and well-being of hundreds of Alaskans throughout Southwestern and Western Alaska.”

After internet hosting the Alaska Broadband Summit and Workshop in August, Senator Sullivan led a delegation of federal officers, together with NTIA Assistant Secretary Alan Davidson, USDA Assistant Administrator Laurel Leverrier, and FCC Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington, to Bethel and different close by communities in want of excessive pace, dependable web.

These grants had been largely made potential by the bipartisan Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Act (IIJA) that each Senators Murkowski and Sullivan performed key roles in crafting. Alaska has now obtained greater than $2.4 billion complete from the IIJA, which incorporates broadband investments, with billions extra anticipated to movement to the state within the months and years forward. Beforehand introduced grants for enhancing high-speed web entry embody:

1. September 23, 2022: $63 million in broadband investments introduced for communities in Southeast Alaska and the North Slope Borough from the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service ReConnect program.
2. September 22, 2022: Greater than $29 million introduced for the Native Village of Port Lions for his or her Broadband Infrastructure Deployment venture to put in fiber instantly connecting 930 unserved households and companies. 
3. July 28, 2022: Over $116 million announced for infrastructure funding for high-speed web in communities throughout Alaska, of which $31 million was introduced to assemble long-haul fiber and native fiber within the Y-Okay Delta communities of Atmautluak, Kasigluk, Nunapitchuk, Quinhagak, and Tuntutuliak.