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Office of Regulatory Staff warns federal funding uncertainty could affect broadband and energy programs
Summary
Acting director Andrew Bateman told the Senate Finance subcommittee ORS does not seek increased budget authority but highlighted broadband progress funded by ARPA and BEAD/BEED allocations, the Energy Office's rebate funding and potential impact from a Jan. 20 executive order and related litigation.
Acting Executive Director Andrew Bateman told the Transportation and Regulatory Subcommittee the Office of Regulatory Staff is not seeking additional budget authority or FTEs for fiscal year 2026 but outlined major broadband and energy programs the agency administers and federal funding risks.
Bateman said ORS oversees both regulatory work that produced about $14 million in customer savings this fiscal year through matters before the Public Service Commission and a set of nonregulatory programs transferred into ORS in recent years, including the State Energy Office, the Broadband Office and the Digital Opportunity Department.
On broadband, Bateman said American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) matching grants previously allocated to internet service providers amounted to about $400 million and that federal BEAD (Broadband Equity,…
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