Mountain State Times

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $25,054,092 from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Middle Mile Infrastructure Program to the Appalachian Power Company to enable last mile Internet Service Providers to address the broadband needs of Raleigh, Wyoming, McDowell, Mercer, and Summers counties.

“Connecting West Virginia with strong, reliable broadband service has been a priority since my first day in the Senate. Through my Capito Connect Program, I have worked to make broadband expansion in our state, and today is another big step forward. I’m thrilled to see NTIA providing support to southern West Virginia so we can continue our work to connect that last home, last school, and last business with reliable broadband service,” Senator Capito said.

BACKGROUND:

The Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program is a program that provides funding for the construction, improvement, or acquisition of middle mile infrastructure. The purpose of the grant program is to expand and extend middle mile infrastructure to reduce the cost of connecting areas that are unserved or underserved to the internet backbone. The program was created and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Senator Capito recently delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor regarding broadband connectivity in West Virginia and her efforts to establish reliable internet access. 

Original source can be found here.