Florida Governor Ron DeSantis awarded nearly $223 million Friday to expand broadband internet access to Floridians, including small and rural communities.
This funding includes $135 million in state funding through the Broadband Opportunity Program and $86 million in federal funds through the Multipurpose Community Facilities Program.
Awards through the Broadband Opportunity Program will support 54 projects in 33 Florida counties for broadband internet expansion that will provide internet to over 27,000 unserved residential, educational, agricultural, business and community locations.
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Awards through the Multipurpose Facility Program will support 29 community infrastructure projects including health clinics, schools and workforce development programs providing internet to Floridians across 18 counties.
This funding comes as the Federal Communications Commission recently enacted new rules relating to private companies’ broadband expansion efforts, aimed at preventing “digital discrimination of access to broadband services based on income level, race, ethnicity, color, religion or national origin.”
Through rules like this, the Biden administration is directly disincentivizing private companies from providing services like broadband internet to rural communities because they don’t meet certain diversity quotas.
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Florida will not enforce these discriminatory strings attached to federal funding that drive investment away from small and rural communities that are already underserved.
“Connecting Florida’s small and rural communities to broadband internet will help them find jobs, access education resources and expand their businesses,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “We will continue to make investments in broadband internet that support long-term growth for our communities, without federally imposed strings attached.”
“Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Florida’s economy has grown at a persistent pace. Today’s strategic awards help maintain Florida’s forward momentum,” said FloridaCommerce Secretary J. Alex Kelly. “By connecting Floridians with centrally located community hubs, residents have increased access to find their next professional opportunity, upskill for future jobs and access telemedicine resources through a steady broadband internet connection.”
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