Landrieu Asks If $80M Grant Can Be Salvaged

U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu is asking federal officials if Louisiana can reverse the loss of an $80 million grant to expand broadband Internet connections.

The Democratic senator released a letter Tuesday that she sent to the U.S. Department of Commerce, asking if the state can appeal, if the grant can be restructured or if the dollars can be sent to local government agencies instead of the state.

The grant would have provided for 900 miles of fiber optic cable that would stretch broadband to 100,000 households and 15,000 businesses in poor and rural areas of Louisiana. The Department of Commerce announced it was pulling the grant on Oct. 26, questioning whether Louisiana could accomplish its plan in the time allowed for spending the dollars.