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

TRENTON — The U.S. Department of Treasury has approved New Jersey’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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey’s commitment to improving digital equity, especially in communities that have been historically underserved,” said New Jersey 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 New Jerseyans can access the tools they need for work, education, healthcare, and more.”

 

The NJBIDE Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) was published in the New Jersey 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 New Jersey’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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey Office of Broadband Connectivity website.

 

About the New Jersey Office of Broadband Connectivity (OBC)

The OBC works to ensure that New Jersey 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 New Jersey’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 www.nj.gov/connect.

 

About the New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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 www.nj.gov/bpu.