(The Center Square) – The Nevada rural internet access revolution – set to begin early this year with a January greenlight from former President Joe Biden – was shot down amidst federal funding cuts early into Donald Trump’s presidency.
Originally a $416 million investment from the federal Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment program, the project was cut to $170 million in Gov. Joe Lombardo’s newest proposal. The remaining $205 million is a medley of federal and private investments, including $100 million from the COVID-19 recovery fund.
“Connecting every Nevadan to reliable, high-speed internet has been one of my top priorities since day one, and today we are delivering on that promise,” said Lombardo in a press release announcing the proposal. “By making smart, targeted investments, we are ensuring that every family, every student, and every business has the tools to thrive in the 21st century.”
The investment would bring reliable, high-speed internet to nearly 50,000 Nevadans, reported the Governor’s office.
Back in June, Nevada was one of three states to have federal approval rescinded by President Trump.
Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick called the BEAD program, “Woke mandates, favoritism towards certain technologies and burdensome regulations, the program has not connected a single person to the internet and is in dire need of a readjustment.”
The “certain technologies” were revealed in the June reshuffle, which placed an emphasis on satellite instead of fiber optic providers. The latter is often more expensive but with better connectivity, while satellite providers – such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Amazon’s Kuiper – are cheaper but less effective.
According to Nevada state data from the revised project, of the 788 proposed deployment projects, 64 projects will be handled by SpaceX while Amazon will fulfill 606 deployments across the state.
Still, Director Brian Mitchell of the Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology assured that 64% of Nevada’s unserved and underserved locations will be covered by the more reliable fiber optic.
Nevada and other states were given a 90-day period to rewrite their project proposals to fit the new prioritization.
“I’m beyond outraged,” U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, said in a June statement after the proposal was rescinded. “This decision will put Nevada’s broadband funding in jeopardy, and it’s a slap in the face to rural communities that need access to high-speed internet.”
The $100 million dip into the state Fiscal Recovery Fund to help the economy rebound from COVID-19 is paired with $53 million in private investments and $52 million from the Capital Projects Fund, in addition to the reduced $170 million BEAD investment.
Despite the new set of priorities and a hodgepodge of funds, Nevada will still look to expand high-speed internet access across the state. The latest development projects are set to be finished in 2030.
“This plan ensures that every Nevadan, no matter where they live, will finally have access to reliable high-speed internet,” said Mitchell. “The investments we’re making today will pay dividends for decades, helping families, businesses, and entire communities thrive while ensuring taxpayer dollars are used wisely.”
