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State, federal programs in the works
Elected officials from all levels of government sent a letter to Gov. Newsom last week urging him to direct state agencies to reevaluate whether the Coastside should receive prioritized funding from the California Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative. The letter emphasizes that the lack of infrastructure on the coast puts many underserved communities at risk of losing communications during emergencies.
The letter is signed by U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo, state Sen. Josh Becker, Assemblyman Marc Berman, San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller, Half Moon Bay Mayor Deborah Penrose, Cabrillo Unified School Board President Sophia Layne, and by Gregg Dieguez and Patrick Horn, who chair advisory councils in the Midcoast and Pescadero respectively. It expresses their “concerns about the recent decision to exclude most of San Mateo County Coastside from Phase 1” of the broadband initiative.
In an effort to bring high-speed broadband service to all Californians, the state project will provide $3.25 billion from the American Rescue Plan Act that Congress passed in 2021. In addition, California will receive $1.8 billion from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was passed by Congress in the same year.
