Commissioner Glass says new NTIA guidance moves Pennsylvania broadband applications into a second round

Commissioner Glass of the Clearfield County Board of Commissioners gave an update on state broadband funding programs, saying new federal guidance prompted the Pennsylvania Broadband Authority to fold round 1 applications into a newly defined round 2 and to reopen the application window for new applicants.

Why it matters: the change could affect which projects in Clearfield County are eligible for state-administered broadband funds and will influence whether fiber or wireless solutions (such as Starlink) are practical options for different parts of the county.

"Late last week, they got new guidance from NTIA, and the Pennsylvania Broadband Authority made the decision to take all the round 1 applications and defer them into what they're calling round 2," Glass said. He told the board that the authority also opened the round to new applicants and that eligibility rules have changed in some cases. Glass characterized the opportunity as "very likely that this will be basically the first and the last opportunity for their b and b funding," and said Clearfield County officials hope applicants will cover the county's unserved areas.

Glass said the authority reported that in round 1, "something like 94, 95% of all the designated areas had at least 1 applicant" statewide, but he cautioned that local coverage data had not been published and that Clearfield County had not yet seen project-level applications. He advised the board that the Pennsylvania Broadband Authority intends to finalize round 2 requirements by July 6 and that a 90-day application window was possible; he estimated (as an opinion) that "there probably won't be shovels in the ground for 18 to 24 months," and he noted that eligible technologies and final timelines remained unresolved.

Glass relayed constituent concerns about technology suitability and cost: two constituents who live in heavily wooded areas were told they would need to clear trees at an estimated cost of $10,000 to access Starlink, which Glass used as an example to illustrate that satellite service is not feasible for all residents. He said county officials remain hopeful that fiber options will be available for populated areas.

No formal county action or vote was recorded on broadband at the meeting; the briefing was informational. Glass said he would pass along further updates if the county receives additional information from the Pennsylvania Broadband Authority or from grant contractors.