NEW YORK (WKBW) — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand came together on Wednesday to announce New York will receive $100 million through the American Rescue Plan to expand high-speed internet across the state.
According to Sen. Schumer, this federal investment comes from the $10 billion in the American Rescue Plan’s Capital Projects Fund which was "designed to address the challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in rural America, Tribal communities, and low- and moderate-income communities."
The state estimates that this will allow it to connect 100,000 homes and families to affordable, high-speed internet.
“$100 Million in federal funding that I secured in the American Rescue Plan is now on its way to boost high quality internet access for over 100,000 families and homes across New York. Long before the pandemic, communities across Upstate New York, from rural communities to bustling city neighborhoods, have struggled to obtain affordable, high-speed internet service. These federal dollars will go directly towards closing the digital divide, which means connecting communities to good-paying jobs, better healthcare, and higher-quality education in our schools. I am proud to deliver this major $100 million investment to provide more equitable broadband accessibility throughout the state and help New Yorkers thrive in today’s digital economy.”
“Affordable, reliable broadband access is essential to connect New Yorkers with work, education, and government services, but still out of reach for far too many families. This critical funding to unlock high-speed internet for thousands of New York renters will build on the success of our ConnectALL broadband initiative while supporting the goals our five-year plan to build and preserve more affordable housing. Thanks to the Biden administration and New York’s Senate and Congressional delegations, New York will continue to lead the nation in bridging the digital divide and making broadband available to all.”
“I am proud to announce $100 million in federal funding that will be used to deliver high-speed internet to thousands upon thousands of families across New York State. During the pandemic, we saw how important high-quality broadband is for business, health care, school, and more. That’s why, when we wrote the American Rescue Plan, we included robust funding for broadband delivery, which can create new economic opportunities, raise property values and improve people’s life and health outcomes. I’m excited to work with the White House, Leader Schumer and Governor Hochul to get this project moving.”
The funding will help rural communities such as Oakfield, where internet access is hard to come by which is where The Haxton Memorial Library helps bridge the gap of broadband and internet.
"We have Wi-Fi 24/7 inside and outside of the building, we have computers, we have computer stations," said Kimberly Gibson, Director of the town library.
Gibson says she struggled to access the internet at home and is one of many.
"We aren't out like in the woods or anything. We were just right from an intersection where there were many homes. They weren't coming to us. And so whether we can afford it is also an issue. There are people that cannot afford to have the Internet service because it is not cheap," said Gibson.
The public library in Oakfield still will welcome all who need their help.
"We just want the best for our community, and we want to be able to offer anything we can to help them learn and grow and make this a part of their lives. Make this part of their children's lives, their future children's lives, and just a generation of love with our community for this library," said Gibson.
