Sen. Mitt Romney: Utah to receive $317 million federal grant to expand and improve internet access

On Tuesday, Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah applauded the U.S. Department of Commerce’s decision to award a large grant to increase broadband access in Utah.

The state will receive $317 million in a Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program grant as a part of President Joe Biden’s initiative of “Internet for All.”

Romney, a Republican, called this investment “critical for the education of our students and economic development opportunities in communities throughout our state.”

“I was proud to help lead negotiations of the bipartisan infrastructure bill to secure needed resources for Utah,” he said.

This money comes from the $1 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was negotiated by Romney and his colleagues and signed into law in November 2021.

The Beehive State has already reaped some benefits from the infrastructure bill. It funded the Smart Intersections Act, which seeks to modernize traffic signals to reduce congested streets, and the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission Act, which funded the state’s ability to manage and mitigate extreme weather events.

Under the infrastructure bill, $65 billion was allocated to enhance internet access across states nationwide through grants like the one received by Utah.

Gov. Spencer Cox said Utah is “a long-time leader in expanding broadband,” and this investment will further the state’s standing.

“We’re excited to see the difference broadband access will make for families and communities throughout our state,” Cox said.

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Earlier this month, Cox announced a statewide initiative to provide eligible households with up to a $30 monthly discount per household for high-speed home internet, or up to $75 monthly per household on tribal land, as well as $100 discounts on laptops, tablets or desktop computers.

The Affordable Connectivity Program also drew funding from the infrastructure bill. Nearly 350,000 households in Utah are eligible for the program.

Meanwhile, nationwide, roughly 19 million Americans lack access to broadband service at threshold speeds, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

“Utah’s growth and entrepreneurial spirit will be magnified by these investments,” said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber, in a statement emailed to the Deseret News.

“Rural economic development will be aided by this investment into our state and further enhance our competitiveness,” he said.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is distributing the funding across the country, has eligibility criteria.

It includes delivering reliable broadband service without data caps within four years of receiving the funds, according to The Pew Charitable Trusts, a nonprofit with a focus on public policy.

The broadband program will be overseen by the Utah Broadband Center at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity.

The center has been working for the last two years, since the passage of the infrastructure bill, to meet the requirements, and receive and distribute the funds, said Rebecca Dilg, director of the broadband center, in an email.

“We have been meeting with counties, cities, tribal leaders, nonprofits, and key stakeholders, as well as every internet service provider in the state,” she said.

Dilg said there are strings attached to the broadband funding, “but they are primarily to encourage job growth, provide fair labor laws, and prioritize getting broadband to the currently unserved communities.”

She said that internet service providers will have to comply with federal wage laws, like the Davis–Bacon Act for contractors working on public projects — which requires that they pay prevailing wage — and only “eligible entities, including internet service providers, tribal governments, and local governments,” will receive funding through a competitive grant.

The broadband program will prioritize providing a fiber connection to users in rural areas without access to the internet. But states can also use the funds to improve access in underserved communities, as well as train and grow the workforce, per the press release.

“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,” Bilg said.

“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.”

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