³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ

For Immediate Release:	Contact: Tracy Munford
Date: 12/2/2024	609-940-1099

TRENTON — The U.S. Department of Treasury has approved ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s plan to invest over $50 million from the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund (CPF) to expand broadband infrastructure across the state. The funding will support the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Broadband Infrastructure Deployment Equity (NJBIDE) pilot program, a competitive grant initiative designed to bring high-speed internet access to areas with limited or no connectivity.

 

“This exciting program reflects ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s commitment to improving digital equity, especially in communities that have been historically underserved,” said ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) President Christine Guhl-Sadovy. “The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical role that high-speed internet plays in everyday life, and this initiative will ensure that more ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏans can access the tools they need for work, education, healthcare, and more.”

 

The NJBIDE Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) was published in the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Register on November 18. The application opened on November 18, 2024 and will close on January 31, 2025. Eligible entities for the NJBIDE program include co-operatives, for-profit providers, local government units, non-profit organizations, and utilities.

 

The approved investment — which represents 26% of ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s CPF allocation — will provide reliable, high-quality internet service to an estimated 28,216 residents across the state. This pilot program will prioritize projects that demonstrate investments in fiber-optic infrastructure solutions with internet speeds of 100/100 Mbps upon completion and provide at least one low-cost option to serve communities.

 

As approved by the U.S. Department of Treasury, the NJBIDE pilot program prioritizes broadband infrastructure deployment projects in the following counties: Atlantic, Burlington, Cumberland, Essex, Salem, and Warren. These counties have significant broadband gaps, including in rural and economically disadvantaged areas, where investments in high-speed internet infrastructure are critical for connecting people to jobs, online education, telemedicine, and social services.

 

The ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Office of Broadband Connectivity has also provided an interactive map for applicants to identify priority areas that align with federal standards, helping to inform project proposals that will address the state’s most pressing broadband gaps.

 

For more information on the NJBIDE program and to access the application instructions manual, visit the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Office of Broadband Connectivity website.

 

About the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Office of Broadband Connectivity (OBC)

The OBC works to ensure that ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ residents, businesses and communities have equitable access to affordable internet service. Focused on achieving digital equity and broadband access and adoption, the OBC is charged with implementing ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s Digital Equity Planning Grant and Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) programs, funded through Infrastructure Investment and Jobs ACT and the U.S. Department of Treasury Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund. To learn more about the OBC, visit .

 

About the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) 

NJBPU is a state agency and regulatory authority mandated to ensure safe, adequate and proper utility services at reasonable rates for ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ customers. Critical services regulated by NJBPU include natural gas, electricity, water, wastewater, telecommunications and cable television. The Board has general oversight and responsibility for monitoring utility service, responding to consumer complaints, and investigating utility accidents. To find out more about NJBPU, visit our website at