NTIA has approved the Initial Proposals of Illinois, Oregon, and Puerto Rico (Vol. 1; Vol. 2) for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. 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. These approvals allow each state to begin implementing their plans and access a portion of their allocated funding. Illinois will now have access to more than $1 billion, Oregon will have access to more than $688 million, and Puerto Rico will have access to more than $334 million.
NTIA has now approved the proposals of Colorado, New Hampshire, Delaware, District of Columbia, Kansas, Louisiana, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Washington, West Virginia, Illinois, Oregon, and Puerto Rico. Applicants must submit a Final Proposal, detailing the applicant’s progress and continued plans, one year after the date of Initial Proposal’s approval. NTIA will continue to approve proposals on a rolling basis.
