FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, March 16, 2010

CONTACT: Charles Monaco, cmonaco@progressivestates.org [4], 212-680-3116, ext. 115

Progressive States Network Applauds FCC National Broadband Plan

NEW YORK, NY - The Progressive States Network today released the following statement on the Federal Communications Commission's release of a National Broadband Plan:

"The Progressive States Network applauds the Federal Communications Commission's efforts to partner with state leaders in order provide universal broadband service to the American people. State legislators are ready to work with their federal counterparts to guarantee high-speed broadband to all residents of this country," said Fabiola Carrión, Broadband and Green Jobs Policy Specialist at the Progressive States Network.

"Like the FCC, Progressive States Network recognizes the critical role of broadband in various aspects of our lives: education, energy and the environment, job creation and training, and public safety. That is why we recently released a report [5], along with our partners the Blue Green Alliance, the Communications Workers of America, and the Sierra Club, that emphasized the importance of modernizing the electric grid while improving energy efficiency and environmental impact -- points that have been acknowledged in the National Broadband Plan. We look forward to analyzing the specific recommendations directed to state and local governments and collaborating with our federal partners to ensure high-speed broadband access to all."

PSN highlighted their support for recommendations in the National Broadband Plan that would:

* Allow state and local entities to provide broadband in their communities and do so in ways that use public resources more effectively.
* Create a Broadband Data Depository as a public resource for broadband information.
* Create mechanisms to ensure affordability to low-income Americans.
* Launch a National Digital Literacy Corps to organize and train youth and adults the digital literacy skills needed to compete in a global economy.

Earlier this month, the Progressive States Network, Communications Workers of America, Sierra Club and the Blue Green Alliance released a joint report entitled "Networking the Green Economy: How Broadband and Related Technologies Can Build a Green Economic Future," [5] which illustrated how smart buildings, smart grids, telehealth, teleconferencing, digital education - all of which are part of a highly-networked economy - will reduce carbon dioxide emissions, conserve energy resources, and promote and retain good, green jobs.

The full report is available here: http://www.progressivestates.org/greeneconomy/report [5]