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Louisiana Governor Announces U.S. Historic Investment in Expanding Broadband in Louisiana

Louisiana – Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards has joined the United States Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in announcing $277 million in grants to expand broadband access in Louisiana and 11 other states. During the application process, the Acadiana Planning Commission collaborated with several partners and was awarded a $29.9 million grant to improve internet access in Acadia, St. Landry, and Evangeline parishes, where over 22,000 households and 2,300 businesses lack broadband. As a result, in the digital world, these underserved communities have limited access to healthcare, education, and economic competitiveness. This is consistent with the work started by Gov. Edwards prior to the pandemic and is another significant step toward Louisiana’s goal of eliminating the digital divide by 2029.

“The digital divide was a major problem long before the COVID pandemic, and that is why this grant program is significant and important. It will be transformative for thousands of Louisiana families, communities and businesses, bringing direct access to educational, healthcare and economic opportunities,” said Governor Edwards. “This was made possible by a unique public-private partnership of the Acadiana Planning Commission, parish leaders, community stakeholders, internet service providers and the Biden Administration. It will serve to connect the unconnected, bring digital inclusion and equity to our residents, and allow our rural communities to be competitive in the 21st Century. This is further evidence of what good government can do for its citizens when we work together and prioritize the needs of the American people.”

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, provides a historic $65 billion investment to expand broadband in communities across the United States. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is preparing to launch a series of new broadband grant programs funded by the law that will build broadband infrastructure across the country, expand low-cost broadband service options, and address digital equity and inclusion needs in our communities. Georgia, Guam, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, and West Virginia were among the states and territories to receive grants.

“The support we are getting from Governor Edwards and his Office of Broadband is critical to bringing reliable, affordable, and accessible internet to revitalizing rural Louisiana. We are hoping that this is the first of many broadband grants to cover Acadiana and Louisiana with the internet needed to begin addressing some of our most critical issues.” said Monique Boulet, CEO of the Acadiana Planning Commission. “Our region and our state are on the frontlines of building broadband infrastructure and this will pay off for generations to come in Louisiana.”

Governor Edwards established the Louisiana Broadband for Everyone Commission in 2019. He established the Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity, or ConnectLA, in 2020. In order to supplement federal programs, Louisiana established the Granting Undeserved Municipalities Broadband Opportunities grant program, or GUMBO, in 2021. This $177 million program will provide grants to private providers and electric cooperatives to help with the deployment of broadband infrastructure, connecting our state’s more than 471,000 unconnected residents.

“We are ecstatic that the Acadiana Planning Commission won a very competitive grant from NTIA to address the unserved issue to over 22,000 locations in the region,” said Veneeth Iyengar, executive director of ConnectLA. This grant will play a significant role in eliminating the digital divide and will complement the effort our office is undertaking to execute the GUMBO grant program.”

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