CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — West Virginia’s broadband efforts are set to get a major boost.
For years, installing broadband internet service throughout every corner of West Virginia has been one of U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito's top priorities.
Now, $1.2 billion for broadband expansion is coming to the Mountain State. Capito said the need for the funding was highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When COVID came it really magnified how far behind we were falling because we couldn't connect our students to their classes,” she said. “We couldn't telehealth because we’re not seeing our doctors in person as much anymore. People wanted to remote work, they wanted to come to West Virginia particularly from the D.C. area. And if you can't connect, you can't do it.”
A year ago, Capito made a big push to the U.S. Department of Commerce, saying the agency's plans to fund broadband projects in West Virginia were woefully underfunded. Capito worked with the agency to take a second look.
“The version that came out in the fall, I think a lot of us knew that it had a lot of holes, and the work that the state did really made a huge difference,” Alan Davidson, of the U.S. Department of Commerce Assistant Secretary, said. “West Virginia was one of the top 10 states also in terms of increases in unserved locations from the first versions of that map to the second. So it was a homework assignment that the state did really nicely and that's part of why the money's there.”
With so many new places needing coverage, West Virginia's piece of the multi-billion federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act grew. The total investment tops one-point-two billion, ranking 11th nationally.
“In this day and age it's amazing, here we are in 2023 and there are still thousands and thousands of homes in West Virginia, millions across the country that cannot get that basic internet services,” Davidson said. “Or don't have the tools to get online and that's got to change.”
A major concern is avoiding the theft and waste that plagued COVID-19 relief efforts.
“We want to make sure that this money is spent well and spent in the way that congress directed us,” Davidson said. “So congress put a whole set of rules in place about how this money needs to be spent and a set of processes about how we're going to stay on top of it.”
Although some federal broadband money is already at play in West Virginia, the vast majority of the $1.2 billion total is set to be released over the next five years.
The administration will map out a plan to place high-speed internet service where it’s needed. Those projects will be examined to make sure they meet the broadband accessibility goals and are free from fraud, theft and waste.