ATLANTA – Georgia’s two U.S. senators have landed $250 million in federal pandemic relief funds to expand high-speed internet access across the state.
Broadband providers in 33 primarily rural counties will be eligible to apply for grants through the program.
The funds will go toward communities lacking adequate high-speed internet service, Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., said Thursday. Almost 15% of Georgia homes lack access to reliable high-speed broadband, according to draft maps released recently by the Federal Communications Commission.
“This is vital for small businesses, farmers, schools, families … for our state’s prosperity,” Ossoff said.
“Broadband expansion is crucial to keeping Georgia’s economy moving forward,” added Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga. “I hear from teachers, farmers, health-care professionals and everyone in between that broadband access is crucial to carrying out their work.”
Ossoff said the funds will be turned over to the state to allocate to eligible cities and counties. He said he is working with the Treasury Department to make the money available as quickly as possible.
Counties that will be eligible for the program are Bartow, Banks, Burke, Calhoun, Carroll, Clay, Clinch, Coffee, Decatur, Echols, Floyd, Glascock, Gordon, Grady, Hancock, Haralson, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Madison, Miller, Mitchell, Oglethorpe, Randolph, Schley, Seminole, Thomas, Twiggs, Webster, Wheeler, Wilcox, Wilkinson, and Worth.
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.