MORGANTOWN — Gov. Jim Justice Friday announced a billion-dollar broadband strategy that he said will bring high-speed Internet to more than 200,000 homes and businesses — a move he said that will further open the Mountain State to new forms of commerce and other enterprises.
“This is surely a landmark day for West Virginia,” the governor said, as lawmakers and other officials looked on.
“We’ve been talking for years about how to fix the rural broadband problem,” he said. “Now, we’re finally going to do it.”
The governor’s strategy, his office said, will add a $236 million broadband program to the $362 million in Federal Communication Commission dollars already in the coffers for the work.
Stack another $120 million from other state and federal sources onto that, for a total of $718 in governmental funding that Justice expects to be allocated by fall 2022.
Those monies will be allocated though competitive programs, his office said, that in turn will draw matching funds from partners in the private sector and local government partners.
As Justice said, that “rural broadband problem” descriptor, for years, has been the phrase that doesn’t pay in West Virginia.
It’s not your modem — it’s the mountains.
The state’s mostly mountainous terrain makes broadband a logistical challenge, in terms of running lines and putting in other related infrastructure.
According to FCC data cited by his office, at least 30% of rural homes and businesses lack broadband access, putting the state close to the bottom on the connectivity scale.
That was especially worrisome in the spring of 2020, when all public schools and several businesses including doctor’s offices were closed due to the pandemic.
“West Virginia students deserve to be able to do their homework,” Justice said. “Our seniors deserve access to telehealth. Our businesses deserve to be able to reach their customers and supplies.
“And all our residents deserve to be able to interact with their government, stay informed as citizens and do all the hundreds of things that take high-speed internet.”
The governor also praised the state Legislature for its commitment to the initiative.
“It’s an honor to work with them on the issue,” he said.
Visit https://governor.wv.gov/ for a detailed breakdown on funding sources for the work.
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