On April 15 at 1:30 p.m., the state House Finance Committee will hear public testimony on a proposed bill that would pave the way for improved and equitable high speed internet in rural Alaska.
Earlier this year, the U.S. passed a federal infrastructure bill that set aside $65 billion for broadband projects in the U.S. According to the bill, states are supposed to prioritize those funds for unserved and underserved communities. States must also compete for some of that money. This bill sets up systems that would make Alaska eligible for that funding.
“We have some real exciting times ahead of us concerning broadband,” said Dillingham representative Bryce Edgmon.
He also represents the upper Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region communities of Red Devil, Sleetmute, Stony River, and Lime Village.
Edgmon is the main sponsor of the bill that the house is considering. He said that Alaska stands to gain a lot of funding from the federal infrastructure bill.
“Initial estimates are anywhere between $1 billion to $2 billion, with the high probability of a lot more,” said Edgmon.
Edgmon’s state bill would set up a Broadband Office to be in charge of applying for, receiving, and distributing those federal dollars. But first, it will have to create a map that shows where Alaskans have limited or no access to high speed internet. The bill also aims to make high speed internet affordable for all Alaskans. It would set up a broadband parity fund that would keep costs in rural areas similar to the costs in urban areas. Edgmon said that the money for this program would come from the federal government.
This would be a change from how things are now. In rural areas of Alaska, residents with low speed internet can pay hundreds of dollars per month on their bills. Alaskans in urban areas pay far less for high speed internet.
The House Finance Committee will hear public testimony on this bill on April 15 at 1:30 p.m. To sign up for public testimony, you can call 1-844-586-9085 when the meeting starts.
