Gov. Walz pushes accessible high-speed broadband
(FILE) Minnesota Governor. Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan announced their infrastructure plan at a water treatment facility in St. Paul on 1/26/2023. (Credit: KSTP)
(ABC 6 News) – Governor Tim Walz visited Bev-Comm, a broadband provider in Blue Earth County, to discuss the state’s progress to expand broadband access across the state.
Walz signed an omnibus agriculture development bill in May of 2023 to invest in rural internet access, provide funds for emerging Minnesota farmers, among other things.
The internet portion of the bill included $100 million to expand high-speed broadband in rural Minnesota.
Over the last year, Minnesota has provided enough funding to expand broadband to 46,000 homes and businesses that didn’t previously have access.
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development will award another $50 million in broadband grants in February