MISSOULA - Two pieces of legislation passed last year will result in Montana receiving money for upgrades to infrastructure and broadband internet access to rural communities in Montana.
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), one of the two bills was meant to bring the US out of the pandemic and the economic turmoil that the United States was in post-pandemic life.
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester told MTN News the ARPA will bring broadband high-speed internet opportunities for over 61,000 people in Montana that currently do not have access to that type of internet. Additionally, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will bring money to Montana roads, bridges, electric transmissions, highways, high-speed internet, and water projects.
“It’s a great bill. It’s a great bill for Montana and rural America,” Sen. Tester said. “The goal was when I helped write this bill it was — and I think we’ll achieve this goal that once that bipartisan infrastructure bill is fully implemented — everybody in the state of Montana will be connected to high-speed internet."
Some parts of Montana do not have cell service where roads that are dangerous are located, but that could soon change when this bill is put in place.
“So, I think the advantages we’re going to get from high-speed internet is also better cell service," Sen. Tester said. "This is going to be an added benefit to this. Once the high-speed internet cables are in the ground there’s going to be a lot more opportunity for good cell service too."
Watch the full interview with Sen. Jon Tester discussing infrastructure funding that is coming to Montana below.
Flathead and Lincoln counties are first up for high-speed broadband internet, but the rest of the rural and remote areas will soon be getting internet.
“Most of this is determined by who is available to start work and when," Sen. Tester explained. "It’s based on need and availability for high-speed internet you’ll see the dollars go to where high-speed internet is needed,” Tester said.
Sen. Tester also said the bills are also meant for business and economic opportunities in the Treasure State.
“If you are a business and want to headquarter in Montana — and you might want to hire people from Montana or from Silicon Valley, you can do that. And so I think having the outdoor assets we have in Montana, — God's infrastructure so to speak — [is] going to attract a lot of people and if they can do business while enjoying our great outdoors I think you're going to see economic activity, jobs created, businesses created, businesses expanded like I've never seen before in my life,” Tester said.
