Congressman Doug LaMalfa’s office has announced that a federal grant will be used to improve access to high speed Internet in rural Butte County. The Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration has awarded nearly 494-Thousand Dollars to the Chico State University Research Foundation. The grant will help to develop broadband framework in Butte County. LaMalfa says the access to high speed Internet will help create jobs and encourage private investment. LaMalfa’s office says the project will help provide reliable broadband service to the agriculture processing and health care industries.