New Hampshire taps federal funds to expand broadband

New Hampshire is diverting millions of dollars in federal pandemic relief funds to expand broadband internet coverage to rural and underserved communities. A proposal approved by the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee on July 22 authorizes the state to spend $51.3 million to create the Broadband Connect Program. This initiative will provide taxpayer-funded incentives to internet service providers to expand infrastructure in communities that lack access to high-speed broadband service. The plan will require internet providers to bid on the contract, and Gov. Chris Sununu's administration began soliciting bids in June 2022. Overall, the funding will help connect up to 15,000 homes and businesses – about 50% of locations in New Hampshire that are still lacking high-speed internet. The fiscal committee also approved a plan to spend $800,000 to map regions of the state where internet service remains spotty or nonexistent as the program is implemented. It also allocated about $130,000 to hire new staff to monitor the spending, as required under the federal funding. Funding for the program comes from the federal Capital Projects Fund, which was created as part of the American Rescue Plan Act to connect more households to the internet.