Michigan gets federal money for high-speed internet access program

SAGINAW, Mich. (WNEM) - The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced Michigan will receive $250.6 million to increase access to affordable, high-speed internet. The money comes from the American Rescue Plan’s Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund.

“We all worked together to get the American Rescue Plan across the finish line and it’s exciting to see the results here in Michigan,” said U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow.

The state’s Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks (ROBIN) program aims to connect nearly 68k households and businesses still lacking high-speed internet access in Michigan.

“The COVID-19 crisis changed how we worked and learned,” said Sen. Stabenow. “In Michigan, many families were left behind because too many rural and low-income communities did not have high-speed internet.”

Each of the internet service providers funded by ROBIN will participate in a Federal Communications Commission program, offering a $30 per month subsidy for low-income families and up to $75 a month for eligible households on Tribal lands.

The Treasury also announced funding for similar projects in Massachusetts and Wisconsin.