Broadband committee clarifies emergency policy, discusses possible $25M appropriation for broadband program

The board's Broadband Committee reported Sept. 4 that staff had drafted an amendment to the Broadband Emergency Policy to clarify what applicants and recipients should expect for loan/grant splits in broadband emergency awards and to create a broadband-specific definition of catastrophic conditions.

Max Wedding said the policy change will help potential applicants know what to expect because the broadband program is not constrained by the 10% grant cap that applies to the traditional program. "For the emergency program, there really wasn't a standard that existed, and so it was difficult for staff to be able to tell potential applicants what to expect in terms of an award," he said.

Separately, committee members discussed a possible $25 million appropriation to a broadband account separate from the Public Works Assistance account. Staff and committee members were cautious about potential capital sources (including bond dollars used previously for BEAD state match) and noted recent NTIA/BEAD developments that could affect timing and need. The Broadband Committee recommended continued exploration of funding avenues and deferred a final decision until more information is available from the State Broadband Office and NTIA.