UPSTATE NEW YORK  — Governor Kathy Hochul and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced on Wednesday more than $140 million to provide high-speed internet to more than 60,000 homes and businesses in Upstate New York.

 Schumer and Hochul clarified that the American Rescue Plan, which Schumer pushed through the Senate, is the primary source of funding for these awards, which are provided by the U.S. Department of the Treasury Capital Projects Fund.

Increased broadband infrastructure under this program will either be under public control or owned by a public agency.

 The program now totals $214.7 million thanks to these six additional grants, which are for Orleans County, Schoharie County, the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board, Franklin County, Sullivan County, and the City of Jamestown. 

More than 87,000 homes and businesses throughout the state are currently served by NY’s ConnectAll program.

"Internet is not 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 said in a statement. “I’m proud to deliver a whopping $140+ million to help expand broadband infrastructure to boost affordable, high-quality internet access for 60,000 homes and businesses across Upstate NY.”

Schumer and Hochul clarified that the American Rescue Plan, which Schumer pushed through the Senate, is the primary source of funding for these awards, which are provided by the U.S. Department of the Treasury Capital Projects Fund. Increased broadband infrastructure under this scheme will either be under public control or owned by a public agency. 

The program now totals $214.7 million thanks to these six additional grants, which are for Orleans County, Schoharie County, the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board, Franklin County, Sullivan County, and the City of Jamestown. 

“Today marks a transformative step forward in our mission to connect every New Yorker to affordable, high-speed internet,” stated Governor Hochul. “By investing over 140 million dollars in public broadband infrastructure across six regions, we’re not just laying fiber optic cables – we’re building bridges to education, healthcare, economic opportunity, and prosperity.”

More than 87,000 homes and businesses throughout the state are currently served by NY’s ConnectAll program, which supports more than 2,000 kilometers of broadband infrastructure.