{"id":12160,"date":"2024-07-10T12:06:57","date_gmt":"2024-07-10T16:06:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dhcd\/?p=12160"},"modified":"2024-07-10T12:07:00","modified_gmt":"2024-07-10T16:07:00","slug":"governor-moore-announces-approval-for-marylands-internet-for-all-proposals-enabling-access-to-267-7-million-in-federal-funding-to-support-affordable-and-equitable-internet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dhcd\/2024\/07\/10\/governor-moore-announces-approval-for-marylands-internet-for-all-proposals-enabling-access-to-267-7-million-in-federal-funding-to-support-affordable-and-equitable-internet\/","title":{"rendered":"Governor Moore Announces Approval for Maryland\u2019s \u201cInternet for All\u201d Proposals, Enabling Access to $267.7 Million in Federal Funding to Support Affordable and Equitable Internet Access"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ANNAPOLIS, MD\u2014<\/strong>Governor Wes Moore today announced that the United States Department of Commerce\u2019s National Telecommunications and Information Administration has approved proposals for Maryland\u2019s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) plan. The approval enables access to $267.7 million in federal funding to support the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development\u2019s Connect Maryland initiative to provide all Marylanders with affordable and equitable access to high-speed internet.<\/p>\n

“The Biden-Harris Administration has been an extraordinary partner in our work to close the digital divide across Maryland\u2014from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore and everywhere in between,\u201d\u00a0said Gov. Moore<\/strong>. \u201cThanks to robust federal support, we\u2019re taking a big step forward in our work to connect every Marylander with affordable, high-speed internet. In order to leave no one behind, we need to get everyone online.”<\/p>\n

The BEAD program is a cornerstone of the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s \u201cInternet for All\u201d initiative, providing $42.45 billion in grants authorized by President Biden\u2019s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to states, territories, and the District of Columbia. Funding may be used to deploy or upgrade high-speed Internet networks to ensure access to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet service. When infrastructure goals are met, any remaining BEAD funding can support high-speed internet adoption, internet literacy training, and workforce development efforts.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, Maryland can move their Internet for All efforts from planning to action,\u201d\u00a0said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and\u00a0<\/strong>National Telecommunications and Information Administration<\/strong>\u00a0Administrator Alan Davidson.\u00a0<\/strong>“I congratulate the Maryland broadband office for developing a strong proposal for how they will connect all of their residents to high-speed Internet service.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Maryland\u2019s Volume 1 BEAD proposal<\/a>\u00a0outlines the Broadband Availability Challenge Process, which aims to ensure accurate broadband mapping and target investments to areas most in need of high-speed internet access by tracking existing broadband funding, unserved and underserved locations and availability of community anchor institutions.<\/p>\n

Maryland\u2019s Volume 2 BEAD proposal<\/a>\u00a0outlines how the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development will transparently and efficiently deploy federal funds to bolster the Connect Maryland initiative\u2019s infrastructure, affordability, and outreach goals by:<\/p>\n