Rural areas in New York State have been awarded $855,901 from the Department of Agriculture for a public-private broadband expansion effort. The project will be overseen by Windstream Corp.

“They will go from poor Internet access to very, very good access . . . In urban areas, we take for granted high-speed Internet access,” said Rep. Brian Higgins. “The grants make it feasible to extend the broadband to rural areas,” Windstream spokesman Scott Morris said. “The idea is to extend it to people and businesses that currently don’t have it.” The project is expected to reach 571 homes, eight businesses and eight community institutions.

Read more about the project here.

Several more states have launched broadband expansion projects designed to build-up high-speed Internet infrastructure and access. Here is a look at some of the new efforts getting underway:

Massachusetts: The town of Florida voted to partner with 47 other communities on a broadband infrastructure expansion project with WiredWest. Read more here.

Oklahoma: The state plans to improve its broadband services through a combination of public-private partnerships. The first stage is a statewide broadband mapping project, where citizens can test their broadband speeds and collect data on where services are available. The second phase is a major set of broadband infrastructure and access expansion projects. Read BroadbandBreakfast.com’s full coverage here.

Texas: The Coalition of Health Services, the Amarillo Area Foundation and AMA TechTel Communications have proposed a public-private broadband expansion project that would build 1,422 miles of fiber, connecting 27 public health institutions and 123 public institutions, including schools, local governments and economic development organizations. Read more here.

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Industry and government experts came together this morning at the monthly Broadband Breakfast Club to discuss how high-speed Internet access can be used to improve telecommuting and reduce carbon emissions. Drew Clark, editor of broadbandcensus.com, organizes the monthly breakfast discussion groups.

This month’s panel featured Telework!VA Program Manager Jennifer Thomas Alcott, Utilities Telecom Council Director of Research Cynthia Brumfeld, BT Americas Head of Corporate Responsibility Kevin Moss, Steven Ruth, Professor, George Mason University School of Public Policy and Donald L. Thoma, Executive Vice President Marketing, Iridium.

Some highlights from the panel:

Steven Ruth noted that if just 14 percent of eligible government employees telecommute, 136 billion vehicle miles would be saved annually.

Jennifer Thomas Alcott on telecommuting: “The bottom line is you’re using technology to replace at least part of the transportation infrastructure. What initially began as a family friendly program has really become a survival tool.” Alcott explained that when people work from home, they use about 50 percent less energy compared to working in a traditional office environment. In Virginia, which leads the nation in telecommuting, about 12 percent of commuters telework at least once or twice a week she said.

Kevin Moss said that as the FCC works on its recommendations for a national broadband plan that they should seek to promote, “a competitive environment to institute the full cost savings and environmental benefits.”

Ruth also discussed using distance learning in education by pointing out that over 20 percent of college students are taking at least one distance-learning class but that both attitudes and professional standards need to change before distance learning reaches its potential. “It is like the Wild West,” he said.Read more