NTIA has approved Maryland’s full Initial Proposal (Vol. 1, Vol. 2) for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, bringing the total number of approved proposals to seventeen. The BEAD program, which allocates $42.5 billion of federal funding to states and U.S. territories for the deployment of high-speed internet networks, requires program applicants to submit an Initial Proposal specifying how they will use the funding to deliver high-speed internet access to unserved and underserved areas in their jurisdiction. This approval allows Maryland to begin implementing their plans and have access to a portion of their allocated funding. Maryland will now have access to more than $267 million for broadband deployment. Once deployment goals are met, remaining funding may be used for other eligible uses such as training and workforce development.
The NTIA has now approved the proposals of Maryland, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Washington, and West Virginia. Applicants must submit a Final Proposal, detailing the applicant’s progress and continued plans, one year after the date of Initial Proposal’s approval. The NTIA will continue to approve proposals on a rolling basis.
