5-26-2023 8:38am

Amy Barela Interview Live from Broadband Summit

Chris Edwards Editor

Amy Barela is keeping a campaign promise and working hard to learn about the opportunities in Broadband and to bring the federal infrastructure funding in broadband back to Otero County and its rural areas, schools and to help build economic opportunities and prosperity through broadband.

On the campaign trail Amy said, “As your next commissioner, I am prepared to access these federal infrastructure funds to develop our county's rural internet infrastructure. These funds are available as first come, first serve. Someone needs to be in tune with programs that have a time limit on them. As you know, I keep up on many things. I can bring resources like this to the county simply by knowing where to look and when!”

The U.S. must strive to make sure everybody in the country has access to the internet that is reliable and affordable.
That was the message at a conference on Internet access held Wednesday at the Buffalo Thunder Resort. Otero County Commissioner Amy Barela was at the summit, learning and finding out, how she as a commissioner, can led the path to bring the opportunities in broadband back to Alamogordo and to Otero County. Amy recognizes the benefits of broadband for education and for jobs creations and how to apply for grants to bring access to APS the various canyons and free internet to every Tularosa kid. Amy is leading by example in cross party collaborations that will benefit Otero County prosperity by investing in broadband infrastructure within Otero County New Mexico.

Amy is keeping her commitment and Otero County will be better for it. KRAZY KALHRadio.org 95.1 FM caught up with Amy for an exclusive interview…

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4hMYsxtHtK5eGMbZroOqrf?si=Ppp4tUjzRWug…

While at the broadband summit Amy is showing her excitement in learning how through collaboration and hard work she can lead to bring broadband infrastructure money to rural Otero County, provide potential access to all Tularosa School Students for free and provide access in the rural canyons and remote areas of Otero County. Amy understands that economic development and prosperity means collaboration and working to get Otero County a piece of the Federal pie related to broadband. Broadband speed and access is key to educational opportunities and jobs development.

The Internet for All Initiative is part of the Biden Administration’s bipartisan Infrastructure Law that was passed in 2021. It allocates $65 billion in funding to help ensure that every American has access to reliable high-speed internet through an investment in broadband infrastructure deployment.

The legislation will also help lower prices for internet service and help close the digital divide, so that more Americans can afford internet access. There is also a heavy emphasis on bringing reliable web services to New Mexico’s tribes and pueblos.

During the conference US Senator Ben Ray Lujan spoke with Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson to talk about where New Mexico stands regarding more internet access.

Davidson says he sees internet expansion as the major infrastructure project of our time.

“It’s essential for access to jobs, access to education, access to health care, (and) access to justice,” he said. “Here we are in 2023 and there are still millions of people across America, hundreds of thousands of people in New Mexico who do not have that basic broadband access that they need to thrive in the modern digital economy.”

Sen. Lujan says one only needs to look at what happened during COVID when students across the country had to take classes virtually but many didn’t have the internet access they needed to see how essential it has become to bring quality internet access to rural areas across New Mexico and the rest of the country.

Excellent work Amy in collaboration across party lines and leadership in bringing opportunities back to Otero County. Promises made, promises kept from the campaign trail.