- Once BEAD money starts flowing, public accountability of the process will be critical, said Pew’s Kathryn de Wit
- Experts doubt there will be further delay, despite a recent GAO ruling
- With 42 states approved, BEAD is nearing execution but meeting four-year build deadlines will hinge on transparency and coordination across federal, state and private stakeholders
The Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program is inching closer to execution with 42 states now approved by NTIA. But once the money finally rolls out, public accountability will be critical to ensure the work gets done on time, said Kathryn de Wit, director of Pew’s broadband access initiative.
Per BEAD guidance, subgrantees must finish their projects within four years of receiving funds. “In order for that four-year deadline to be met, everything has to work in sequence and be on time,” de Witt said on a Fiber Broadband Association webinar Wednesday.
“So we need to make sure that states, the private sector, communities are working at the table with federal partners and NTIA to say this is what’s working, this is what’s not working,” de Wit explained.
Given BEAD was essentially pushed back by a year due to restructuring, many in the industry want the program to proceed without further delays.
“I think the more public attention and accountability we can draw to some of these procedural barriers or procedural delays…the better off we’ll be,” said de Wit.
Speaking of accountability, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) threw another curveball at BEAD last month when it said the restructured BEAD notice is subject to congressional review.
How such a review would pan out – and whether NTIA will even heed GAO’s request – is up in the air, but policy experts aren’t too worried that the decision will significantly hold up or overturn BEAD.
“I don’t think there’s any appetite by the administration or Congress to slow down this BEAD deployment,” said FBA CEO Gary Bolton on the webinar. “I think that’s something not to worry about.”
New Street Research Policy Analyst Blair Levin similarly thinks there’s a good chance a funding delay would be short if at all, he wrote in a note last month. If BEAD does undergo a review, it’s “highly unlikely” Congress would vote to overturn the notice.
For now, the administrative process is still moving. Arkansas this week announced it secured National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) approval, which means that state and Louisiana now officially have access to their BEAD allotments.
State of non-deployment
The status of approximately $20 billion in leftover BEAD money is in hot water, particularly due to President Donald Trump’s executive order (EO) that calls to restrict non-deployment funds — funds that remain after states have used them for deployment — for states with “onerous” AI regulations.
Nevertheless, de Wit is optimistic states will get their non-deployment money, and Congress is pushing for that as well by introducing the SUCCESS for BEAD Act.
“I think Commerce sees the value of non-deployment, particularly as it relates to priorities like AI, digital skills training, workforce,” she said.
As for the AI EO, Levin thinks there will be backlash against the order and that the non-deployment bill, though unlikely to pass, “is designed to put political pressure on the Commerce Department to be more flexible in allowing states to use the appropriated funds.”
NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth has expressed non-deployment funds “could be a powerful way to advance BEAD goals,” particularly to tackle hurdles like permitting.
With regards to accelerating permitting reform, de Wit noted it’s important to “[add] specificity on what we mean by the permitting issue.”
“A lot of folks say, oh, permitting, and just kind of throw their hands up and move on,” she said. But the question is where specifically the roadblocks are, whether they’re at the federal, state or local level or if it’s a matter of too much paperwork or not enough people to approve the permits.
“I think really digging into these questions will be critical in the coming years,” de Wit concluded.