The U.S. Department of Treasury approved broadband projects in Texas, Alabama, Kentucky and Nevada under the American Rescue Plan Capital Projects Fund (CPF). The CPF will award $10 billion to state, territory and tribal governments for projects that promote work, education and health monitoring in light of a public health emergency, like COVID-19.
Texas will receive $363 million for broadband infrastructure to fund the Bringing Online Opportunities to Texans (BOOT) Program. BOOT will fund last-mile broadband infrastructure to connect an estimated 152,000 locations to high-speed internet. The program will serve locations in historically disadvantaged areas and offer affordable service options. The BOOT program will accept applications for broadband expansion projects in the spring of 2023.
Qualified projects fall under the following criteria:
• Must be in an area considered eligible by the Texas Broadband Development Office
• Will invest to directly enable work, education and health monitoring.
• Will be designed to address a critical need that was made or worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.