Millions in funding to expand Central Valley broadband
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Elected officials gathered Friday to announce that millions of dollars in funding will expand broadband internet access across rural communities in the Central Valley.
According to Fresno County officials, the California Public Utilities Commission ratified the state’s final Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) proposal on Sept. 17.
The CPUC’s decision to do so will invest millions in additional broadband funding for communities in Fresno, Kings, Madera, Merced and Tulare counties.
Congressman Jim Costa says the funding will help expand broadband access for schools, libraries, hospitals, farmers and other residents in rural areas where that access has been desperately needed for years.
“It wasn’t that long ago during the pandemic, and we were trying to do tele-remote education, we had families taking their kids to county libraries to find a hotspot so that they could connect,” Costa said.
CPUC Commissioner Darcie Houck says expanding broadband access in the Central Valley is important to closing the state’s digital divide.
“California has the fourth largest economy in the world, and the Central Valley is absolutely critical to that,” Houck said. “We need to make sure that we’re eliminating the digital divide here and supporting everyone in the five counties.”
State Assemblymember David Tangipa joined Costa and other Valley representatives, including Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig, in celebrating the approval.
“I couldn’t be more grateful for our partners here,” Tangipa said. “To take this next step, next step into modernization.”