NTIA Awards First BEAD, Digital Equity Planning Grant to Louisiana

NTIA awarded Louisiana nearly $3 million in funding through the broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program and Digital Equity Act, said Special Representative for Broadband Andy Berke Wednesday during the state’s inaugural broadband summit (see 2207130047).

"One of the main things" needed to get to an "an economy for 2050" is ensuring everyone has access to a high-speed, affordable internet, said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., commending state and local officials for submitting the state's BEAD application. Louisiana is the first state to receive its BEAD planning grant, $2 million, and has 270 days upon initially receiving the funding to submit a five-year action plan. The state “was among the first to sign onto Internet for All and to apply for funding, and I know they’re ready to get to work for the people of Louisiana," said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in a statement. The plans are “critical so that it uses our dollars efficiently and effectively,” Berke said.

The remaining $941,000 of Louisiana’s award will go toward developing its statewide digital equity plan, and Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) said the state will “partner with a coalition of universities” to develop the plan. “Everywhere where there's not high-speed Internet today, there's a market reason,” Berke said, and “we have to figure out how to solve that market issue.” Local communities should also develop plans that can be “put into action” by their state and “figure out what’s right” for that community, he said.

Bel Edwards also announced Wednesday an additional $38 million in Granting Unserved Municipalities Broadband Opportunities (GUMBO) grants using American Rescue Plan Act funding for eight companies to serve more than 15,000 locations in 10 parishes over the next two years. He said 48 of the projects previously awarded “this week will have grant agreements executed and finalized” to begin construction (see 2207270011).

“We have $5 million left, and we will be making additional announcements,” Bel Edwards said, adding he's “more confident than ever” the state will meet its goal to eliminate the digital divide by 2029. The new round of funding will help provide “about 85% of our parish residents with broadband,” said LaSalle Economic Development District Executive Director Cynthia Cockerham: “We want broadband for all residents, all the people, and all the trees, because we do not know where the next house will be built or where the next business will locate.” It’s “imperative” that local officials attend workshops, said Grosse Tete Mayor Michael Chauffe, citing a USDA workshop he attended about the ReConnect program. The city got a $15 million award for fiber deployment after learning more about the program and how to apply, Chauffe said.

“We have this really unique opportunity to take federal investments to … propel Louisiana’s economy really in the future,” said Veneeth Iyengar, the state's development and connectivity executive director. The partnerships established with the state’s broadband office are “going to be an iterative thing” and “there’s always going to be process improvement,” Iyengar said. State Rep. Daryl Deshotel (R) said another bill during the next legislative session on the GUMBO program is possible: “We’re going to tweak it again” to ensure the program continues to work.