U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today applauded an announcement from the Department of Commerce that the State of Utah would be awarded more than $317 million in a Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program grant. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—negotiated by Senator Romney and his colleagues—created the BEAD program to help expand high-speed internet access to rural and underserved communities.
“Access to affordable, fast, and reliable broadband is critical for the education of our students and economic development opportunities in communities throughout our state,” said Senator Romney. “I was proud to help lead negotiations of the bipartisan infrastructure bill to secure needed resources for Utah. This award of more than $317 million will go a long way in continuing Utah’s efforts to expand broadband access into these rural and underserved communities.”
“Utah has been a long-time leader in expanding broadband, and this federal investment gets us even farther, especially in the rural areas of our state,” said Governor Cox. “High-speed internet will help create jobs and new economic development opportunities, and we’re excited to see the difference broadband access will make for families and communities throughout our state. We appreciate the work of Congress and the Biden administration to put together a plan that will work for Utah.”
“High-speed internet is no longer considered a luxury—it’s as important as any other utility for a quality of life bringing education, employment, healthcare, commerce, entertainment, and social connections right to our homes,” said Rebecca Dilg, director of Utah Broadband Center. “The State of Utah has been working for years to encourage the buildout of broadband—especially in our rural communities. There are still gaps, however, not only in infrastructure, but in affordability and accessibility. The announcement of more than $317 million coming directly to Utah will allow state leaders to collaborate with local governments, tribal leaders, and stakeholders throughout our state to identify the greatest needs.”
Background:
Negotiated by Senator Romney and his colleagues, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is a once-in-a-generation investment which will address decades of neglect of our nation’s hard, physical infrastructure without raising taxes or adding to the debt. Details on how the bill is working to benefit Utah can be found here.
This BEAD program grant awarded to Utah is in the amount of $317,399,741.54 and will be given to the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity’s broadband division for dispersing. The IIJA included $65 billion to improve access to broadband and created the BEAD program.
