By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – Governor Jay Nixon is seeking $142 million in federal stimulus cash to expand broadband access to rural portions of Missouri.
If approved, about 91 percent of Missouri's population would have high-speed Internet access.
Scott Holste is Governor Nixon's Press Secretary:
"We still have large parts of Missouri that are not served by broadband...this is going to insure that small businesses in every part of the state are able to compete on a level playing field," Holste said.
The Marshfield-based company Show-Me Technologies would do the work.
"The money would be used for laying about 2,500 miles of fiber-optic cable and to construct (200) broadband towers across the state...this is going to make it possible to connect doctors and patients who are in rural parts of the state with medical experts, not only in other parts of Missouri, but around the world," Holste said.
Missouri is competing with other states for the money. An announcement from the Obama Administration is expected in December.