SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico has received final federal approval to pursue $675 million in federal grant funding to expand high-speed internet across the state, officials said Monday.

That means the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion can now start the grant application process. The state must submit a final proposal within a year.

“This funding empowers New Mexico to bridge the digital divide and create equal opportunities across the state, especially for our rural and tribal communities,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement.

Federal and state data show that 16% of New Mexico’s nearly 874,000 serviceable broadband locations are either unserved or underserved.

Government officials said they hope to connect tens of thousands of New Mexico households to the internet for the first time.

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