$35 million federal cut rolls back programs that help Mainers access internet

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PORTLAND (WGME) -- Another round of federal funding cuts is threatening programs aimed at improving internet access and digital literacy.

The cut is a $35 million loss for Maine.

The funding loss is part of a nationwide rollback of congressionally approved funding tied to the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In Maine, the funds were meant to help people learn to navigate the internet after the state invested in broadband expansion.

“It was to help Mainers get online and feel safe online,” Greater Portland Council of Governments Regional Broadband Program Manager Clara McCool said.

McCool says some of the funding would have supported work like classes for older adults learning how to use technology and provided device-sharing programs for low-income households.

“It means that veterans have access to technical support when they’re trying to do a telehealth visit with technology they’ve never used before,” Maine Connectivity Authority Director of Equity and Partnerships Maggie Drummond-Bahl said. “It means that families juggling work and homework have access to enough affordable devices for everyone who needs one in the home.”

Now, those programs are at risk.

At the Bridgton Public Library, helping people with their devices is a part of daily operations, according to director Amy Stone. Without federal support, the library may have to scale back some services, like its Wi-Fi hotspot lending program.

“In a place where internet access is not always available or reliable, having these hotspots has really helped so many people,” Stone said. “We have families with kids, so they need access to the Internet so they can do their homework. We had a few veterans who have checked them out to do telehealth at their home.”

President Donald Trump criticized the funding last week on Truth Social, calling the Digital Equity Act unconstitutional and racist.

“No more work handouts based on race!” Trump wrote. “The Digital Equity Program is a RACIST and ILLEGAL $2.5 BILLION DOLLAR giveaway.”

Officials from the Maine Connectivity Authority say that 89 percent of Mainers report facing some barrier to internet access in a state where more than 90 percent of the population is white.

“I would not say it is a racist grant or anything,” McCool said. “It’s just to support all Mainers. It’s really about equality across the state.”