Federal funding to help beef up broadband in Northern NY

ALBANY, N.Y. (WCAX) - More than $13 million in federal funding is headed to New York's North Country to beef up broadband.

Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the move Wednesday.

They say the money will allow Franklin County to build more than 140 miles of infrastructure to connect underserved areas.

"Access to high-speed internet is not a luxury, but a necessity, a utility as vital as electricity for everyday life. Today, Upstate NY takes a major step towards closing the digital divide," Schumer, D-New York, said in a statement.

"We're not just laying fiber optic cables — we're building bridges to education, health care, economic opportunity and prosperity. With our new interactive dashboard , New Yorkers can now track our progress as we work to ensure that no community is left behind in our digital future," Hochul, D-New York, said in a statement.

The funding for the North Country is part of more than $140 million in awards from the ConnectALL Municipal Infrastructure Grant Program to expand broadband infrastructure throughout the state.