Broadband funds not coming here

Vice President Biden yesterday kicked off $7.2 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act broadband grant and loan programs, of which $2 billion will be made available on a rolling basis over the next 75 days to bring high-speed Internet to communities that currently have little or no access to the technology.

At an event at Impulse Manufacturing in Dawsonville, Ga,, Biden announced an initial $183-million investment in 18 broadband projects benefiting 17 states, which has already been matched by over $46 million in public and private sector capital. The awards are not only expected to provide initial job opportunities in infrastructure and manufacturing, but help bridge the digital divide and boost economic development for communities held back by limited or no access to the technology.

None of yesterday’s awards were for Mississippi.