Silver State Times

LAS VEGAS, NV – Today, at an event in Las Vegas, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) will announce that Nevada will receive over $43.5 million to increase high-speed internet access throughout the state. She secured this award through her Middle Mile Broadband Deployment Act, which created the Middle Mile Infrastructure Grant Program, and became law as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This funding will help facilitate and improve the connection of more than 21,000 locations across Nevada to the internet. Last year, Senator Rosen encouraged Nevada public entities and non-profits to apply for this funding. 

The $1 billion Rosen-created program helps fund critical broadband infrastructure known as “middle mile” that helps connect communities to the internet. While much of the national debate around internet access focuses on connecting residences to the internet – what is known as connecting the “last mile” – there have been fewer conversations on the federal level about “middle mile.” Middle mile is the section of a network that connects the backbone of the internet to a local connection site, which often includes anchor institutions such as schools, libraries, or government offices. Middle mile networks connect an internet backbone to local networks that can support connections to homes. 

“Access to high-speed internet is absolutely essential to our daily lives, but unfortunately, too many communities across our state lack basic internet services,” said Senator Rosen. “I’ve made it a priority to fight for improved internet access for families in our state, and I’m proud to announce that Nevada will receive more than $43 million to help connect tens of thousands of locations to the internet. Thanks to my Middle Mile Broadband Deployment Act, access to the internet is becoming a reality for more hardworking Nevada families.”

Senator Rosen has been leading the fight to expand access to high-speed internet for Nevada families. Senator Rosen helped write the broadband section of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, securing $65 billion in overall investments to make high-speed internet affordable for Americans. Earlier this year, Senator Rosen also successfully pushed the Administration to fix flawed broadband maps to ensure Nevada received its fair share of federal funding for high-speed internet. She also announced that she helped secure $55.2 million to connect more than 40,000 households in Nevada to high-speed internet with funds from the American Rescue Plan.

Original source can be found here.