Cayuga and Cortland Counties will receive a portion of the $140 million going to expand broadband access throughout several regions of New York State.
Governor Kathy Hochul, US Senator Chuck Schumer, and US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced on Wednesday that the funding awarded from the ConnectALL Municipal Infrastructure Grant Program will support broadband initiatives in the Central New York, Fingerlakes, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Mid-Hudson, and Western New York regions.
“Today marks a transformative step forward in our mission to connect every New Yorker to affordable, high-speed internet,” Governor Hochul said. “By investing over $140 million in public broadband infrastructure across six regions, 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.”
In Central New York, $26 million will allow the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board to establish CNYNET, a regional open-access fiber network. According to the governor’s office, CNYNET will serve 6,671 locations in Cayuga and Cortland Counties.
CNYNET Inc. will be formed as a nonprofit local development corporation that will own and manage the network. The network will be operated by Empire Access.
The total project budget is $36.2 million. Cayuga County will contribute $7 million while Cortland County will contribute $3 million.
The $140 million in funding brings the program’s total to $214.7 million. Funding primarily comes from the Treasury Department’s Capital Projects Fund.
The program is responsible for 2,000 miles of broadband infrastructure for over 87,000 homes and businesses across the state.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said, “Access to high-speed 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. 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. This will help communities in every corner of Upstate NY from the City of Jamestown to rural parts of Schoharie, Orleans and Sullivan County. It will help families stay connected to education, to healthcare, economic opportunity, and each other. When I led the American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law to passage, I made sure there was funding for long term investments like this that would create good paying jobs helping build the 21st century infrastructure needed to make high-speed internet reaches corner of the state regardless of zip code. I’m grateful for Governor Hochul’s work putting these federal dollars to work to ensure all New Yorkers get the equitable access to the internet that they deserve.”
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “Every New Yorker deserves affordable, high-speed internet, regardless of where they live. This substantial investment in public broadband infrastructure will help connect New Yorkers to remote work opportunities, telehealth appointments and online educational programs, bringing our state one step closer to closing the digital divide once and for all. I’m proud to have helped secure this vital funding through the American Rescue Plan Act, and I will continue working to expand reliable internet access across our state.”
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