LaMalfa Announces Rural Broadband Funding for Butte County

(Washington, DC) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced a $493,695 grant will be awarded to California State University (CSU) Chico Research Foundation. The purpose of the grant is to development broadband framework, process, and strategy that supports entrepreneurship and job creation in the region.

LaMalfa said: "In rural areas like Northern California, our broadband infrastructure often lags far behind the rest of the country. This funding will help establish better broadband framework in our communities, which will encourage private investment and provide more reliable access for local economies."

This EDA investment funds the Northern California Broadband Planning Project, to collect and analyze business broadband data and to develop strategic broadband plans, including cost analysis and business models for Northern California communities. The project will provide reliable broadband service to the agriculture processing and health care industries, which will help attract private investments, boost businesses and grow jobs throughout the region.

Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California's First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.