The Walla Walla Community Council’s mission is to help connect people to the Internet. Affordability and accessibility is important as many of our daily lives and elements of our jobs depend on the ability to access internet accounts.

According to a study report released in June 2023, 20% of Walla Walla students lacked broadband access compared with 40% in College Place and 100% in Prescott.

Much of a student’s schoolwork now depends on the ability to access the internet, whether it’s looking up information, turning in a paper online or participating in group activities on a shared online document.

The Community Council’s project will aim to build out infrastructure, expand affordability and focus on accessibility.

There is currently little incentive for internet service providers to build infrastructure in difficult terrain. It would serve a relatively small portion of the population and would not result in a positive financial outcome for the provider.

The accessibility portion is key. Infrastructure and affordability, of course, mean little if the person gaining access is not educated on how to effectively use the internet.

Lack of government funding makes for some difficulty in connecting people with the resource, and the Community Council’s efforts to work with Goodwill Industries of the Columbia and other entities to gain a Digital Equity Grant through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration are to be commended. 

In January, the coalition was informed that they were recommended for an award by a Digital Equity Grant through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, but the Trump administration canceled digital equity grants in May.

A $16 million grant was rescinded in Washington. The Council would have received $40,000 from that grant over two years. 

We hope the Council is able to secure funds to connect rural Walla Walla area residents to the web. The internet is an essential tool in this day and age, and where people live shouldn’t affect their ability to access such a service.

Walla Walla Union-Bulletin editorials reflect the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board. The opinion editor can be reached at banderson@wwub.com.