State

California collects $540M for high-speed internet expansion

The U.S. Treasury awarded California more than half a billion to spend on last-mile broadband infrastructure projects.

April 13, 2023

California Gov. Gavin Newsom pictured in February 2023. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

California will receive $540.2 million from the American Rescue Plan’s Capital Projects Fund, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced Thursday.

California plans to use the funds to connect 127,000 homes and businesses to affordable, high-speed internet under its Last Mile Broadband Expansion grant program, connecting approximately 16% of locations lacking high-speed internet access in the state.

“Today’s significant investment by the Biden administration supports our overall, multi-year $5.6 billion investment to expand broadband coverage throughout the state,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a press release.

The more than half a billion sum is the largest so far awarded to any state under the Capital Projects Fund. The Treasury has awarded more than $5.9 billion to 39 states from the $10 billion fund. The remaining states’ funding proposals are to be reviewed on a rolling basis.