Maine can move forward with its plan to expand internet access, after receiving approval from the federal government.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has approved Maine's strategy for spending more than $270 million in federal funding from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law.
Courtney Dozier, with the NTIA's Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, said the approval will allow Maine to move "from planning to action" and begin the process that will eventually allow organizations to apply to deploy the funds.
"It means they can now request access to the more than $271 million that they will need to connect more than 40,000 homes and businesses across Maine," Dozier said.
The state is expected to open applications this fall, and submit a final proposal to the federal government early next year. Maine Connectivity Authority President Andrew Butcher said the program is designed to ensure the funds will reach across Maine.
"So that there is a dedicated amount of funding across the program for even the most remote, and hence, costly, locations," Butcher said.
Butcher said there are currently about 35,000 locations across Maine that are classified as unserved or underserved.
