Umatilla Indian Reservation to receive $250k for high-speed internet

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – At long last, high-speed internet is heading for unserved parts of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Sen. Jeff Merkley and Sen. Ron Wyden announced Monday that the reservation will soon receive $250,000 in federal funding to expand its broadband service to currently unserved areas.

“Equitable access to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet ensures individuals, families, and businesses can be connected wherever they are,” Sen. Merkley said. “This funding will allow Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation to make improvements to the economy, education, and quality of life for folks across hundreds of miles of rural Oregon.”

The funding is part of a broader U.S. initiative to help citizens living in remote areas with access to “reliable high-speed internet access, clean, safe water and a range of support for rural families, agricultural producers and small businesses.” Nationally, these projects total $772.6 million.

“Just as water is essential for the livelihoods and economies of communities in rural areas, access to reliable broadband internet is just as important in this modern technological age,” Sen. Wyden said.