Equitable and universal access to this essential service, regardless of geography and income, requires investments in locations urban to rural. Providing widespread access to high speed internet is comparable to the electrification efforts of the early 20th century—a way to bring all parts of the state up to the basic level of service needed to seamlessly function in today’s society.
Deploying federal, state, and municipal dollars is required where the private sector alone cannot achieve the goal of universal connectivity for education, economic development, wellness, and climate change.
As Maine works to improve access, we must also invest in sound land use planning policies and regulations that encourage smart growth and minimize sprawl.
As universal access to broadband is deployed, join GrowSmart Maine for a free webinar to discuss:
- What tools that are available to municipalities to ensure that growth patterns reflect the values captured in community long-term plans and strategies?
- How do we encourage use of these tools?
