Administration Hopes To Make Progress On Rural Broadband Effort This Year

President Biden’s infrastructure adviser expects the FCC to make significant progress this year on critical broadband mapping to pinpoint rural areas of greatest need. Mitch Landrieu acknowledged the FCC hit roadblocks early, but is now making headway on service maps needed to best target $65 Billion Congress approved for rural broadband.

“Congress mandated new maps, and the FCC, they put out a procurement, that procurement was challenged, that challenge was overcome, and FCC is steaming full-force ahead, and working with all of the providers, all of the states, and the Department of Commerce, to identify what that mapping looks like. You are right, that takes a long time, but they’re in the processing of hurrying up.”

Rural lawmakers complained last year the process was taking too long, citing cases of rural school kids having to do homework in convenience store parking lots, just to get internet access. Landrieu predicts the wait may soon be over.

“The expectation is, before the end of the year, sometime, that they will have made substantial progress on the work that they’re doing, and that the programs out of the Department of Commerce and the Department of Agriculture will be part of that.”

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said there’s $2 billion in the infrastructure bill to do that with demand already exceeding funds to improve rural service to homes, hospitals, schools, libraries, businesses and farmers. 

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia.com