Here’s how the Lummi Nation will be providing fast internet to thousands of homes

The Lummi Nation was awarded nearly $16 million in the Internet for All initiative, a bipartisan infrastructure law that will provide broadband access to the Tribe. The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes connecting 2,273 Native American households, 193 Tribal businesses, and 23 anchor institutions with one gigabit per second symmetrical speeds (this means their upload speed will be the same as their download speed).

“The Lummi Nation is truly grateful to be receiving this Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program award as it will open so many doors for greater opportunities for the Lummi Nation. Broadband is the future of Economic Development, Health, Education, Public Safety, and Governance for all our Lummi People. The capacity to connect to high-speed internet will allow our tribal members the ability to engage in our forever growing technology,” said Lummi Indian Business Council Chairman William Jones Jr. in a news release announcing the award.

The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation has also benefited from the law, receiving $48,405,830.78 for a similar project. Nationally, the initiative awarded more than $600 million to 23 Tribal entities across the country. The Lummi Nation is getting $15,942,129.05 from the grant.

“These grants will bring reliable internet to thousands of underserved households, businesses and other institutions on the lands of the Lummi Nation and the Confederates Tribes of the Colville Reservation. These federal funds will boost our state’s ongoing efforts to provide more reliable internet to more households in rural areas and tribal communities,” said Gov. Jay Inslee.