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County briefed on BEAD program changes; federal rules loosen technology preference, possibly extending state timeline
Summary
Staff updated council on changes to the federal BEAD program that remove a ground-fiber preference and add another round of proposal windows; the changes could delay state submission to NTIA and pushing potential funding deployment into late fall or year-end.
Policy analyst Jordan Boaty updated the Clark County Council on recent federal changes to the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program that affect state deployment timelines and technology eligibility.
Boaty said the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act created the BEAD program and subsequent federal guidance initially prioritized in-ground fiber. New administrative rules are more technology-agnostic, allowing proposals that include wireless and satellite options in addition to fiber. That change has prompted at least one additional round of proposal windows at the state level.
Washington’s BEAD implementation has used multiple proposal rounds for internet-service providers to apply for project areas; Clark County contains eight project areas in the state’s plan. Boaty said it was not yet clear whether the state's current round would satisfy the federal requirement or whether the state will need an additional round, which could add approximately 60–90 days to the timeline. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has committed to reviewing state submissions within 90 days of receipt.
Boaty said that no BEAD-funded projects had yet put "shovels in the ground," though the county used one-time ARPA funds to support a Northeast Battle Ground Lake project that is advancing with Comcast milestones on schedule.
Why it matters: The BEAD program funds broadband infrastructure to unserved and underserved areas; changes to application windows and allowable technologies can affect which providers bid on project areas and how quickly funding reaches local projects.
Staff said they will continue to monitor state solicitations and advise the council as the implementation process proceeds.
