$35 million federal cut threatens Maine's digital development

A critical federal funding cut could set back Maine’s plans to bridge the digital divide, impacting both rural and urban communities.

YORK COUNTY, Maine — A $35 million federal investment to expand access to affordable devices, internet connectivity, and digital literacy training in Maine has been unexpectedly cut. Residents and advocates warn that the funding was desperately needed to bring the state up to speed in an increasingly digital world.

Kayla Lewis, a Community Engagement Consultant for the Southern Maine Planning Development Commission, said she has seen firsthand how the digital gap affects Mainers she's worked with.

“People were having to use their phone to file for assistance, to look for jobs, get houses,” she said.

For many, having an internet connection is not enough; they also need the right equipment and knowledge to use it safely and effectively.

“I’ve heard so many different stories about people not even being able to ask their family members for assistance because they themselves are also confused,” Lewis added.

The funding was part of the 2021 Digital Equity Act, which allocated nearly $3 billion nationwide to help address digital access gaps. Maine was slated to receive $35 million, including $10 million earmarked for the Maine Connectivity Authority, which has spent the last few years planning to make infrastructure improvements that will increase high-speed internet access across rural areas of the state.

However, last Friday, the Trump administration rescinded the funds, citing concerns from the U.S. Department of Commerce that the program’s rollout involved “unconstitutional racial preferences.”

Brian Allenby, COO of the Maine Connectivity Authority, expressed frustration and confusion at the decision:

“The covered populations that are referenced in the Digital Equity Act are folks like veterans, people in low-income households. It doesn’t have anything to do with race,” Allenby explained.

The MCA's efforts to modernize Maine’s internet infrastructure could be rendered useless if people living in those areas can't subscribe to it because they lack the resources.

“Along with that, they also need the ability, the skills, the devices, and they need to be able to stay safe online,” said Allenby.

The funding from the Digital Equity Act was meant to help provide those resources.

Every Mainer should be concerned about these cuts, according to Lewis, who said getting Maine's communities back up to date will give them the ability to compete in the modern-day workforce, ultimately benefiting the state's economy and everyone who lives here.

“It has rippling consequences, from our 95-year-old grannies to our 15-year-olds,” she said. “It’s not a race thing, it’s not an ethnicity thing, it’s a Mainer thing."