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Highlights | Meet NTIA's OICG Staff | Programmatic Updates
Highlights
Assistant Secretary Arielle Roth Joined NTCA’s Legislative & Policy Conference
On April 27th, Assistant Secretary Roth spoke at the NTCA Policy and Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. The Assistant Secretary’s remarks emphasized that the BEAD Program’s Benefit of the Bargain round is expected to save $21 billion and that NTIA’s goal is to invest those savings responsibly so that they benefit the American people. Assistant Secretary Roth also shared that NTIA continues to streamline the permitting process, including expanding the number of NEPA categorical exclusions available for broadband from 11 to 47, which will allow for up to 95% of BEAD projects to qualify for expedited review. One State Broadband Officer recently revealed the state was seeing approvals in less than 48 hours!
Assistant Secretary Roth participates in a fireside chat at the NTCA Legislative and Policy Conference in Washington, D.C.
NTIA Announces Approval of 54 BEAD Final Proposals
NTIA has approved 54 Eligible Entities’ Final Proposals to deliver universal broadband access through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. Thanks to the Trump Administration’s Benefit of the Bargain reforms, these states saw a surge in participation, competition, and private sector matching contributions—driving down costs, increasing skin in the game, and advancing innovative solutions for consumers. This progress can be viewed via the BEAD Progress Dashboard which includes two new columns regarding states and territories’ individual progress:
- Final Proposal Approval by NIST, which indicates NIST’s approval making the grant funds available (52 states and territories have received NIST approval); and
- Award Agreement Signed by State, which indicates that states/territories have signed and returned their award agreement, finalizing the process (46 states and territories have signed and returned their award agreement.)
NTIA Highlights Unlicensed Fixed Wireless Broadband
On April 14, NTIA hosted a webinar on unlicensed fixed wireless technology and its role within the broadband toolkit. BEAD Federal Program Officer Chip Spann moderated a robust discussion with experts in the field including Tricia Paoletta, Senior Advisor for Spectrum, NTIA; Dr. Monisha Ghosh, Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Notre Dame; Steven Schwerbel, Director, State Advocacy, WISPA; and Matt Larsen, Founder and CEO, Vistabeam. The panelists discussed the history of this technology, examples of how unlicensed fixed wireless can accelerate deployment, and under what regulatory conditions it works best under. A recording of this webinar can be found here.
Meet NTIA's Office of Internet Connectivity & Growth Staff
Amanda Periera
Environmental, Historic Preservation, and Permitting Program Lead
Amanda Pereira is the Environmental Program Officer (EPO) leading the environmental, historic preservation, and permitting team, focusing on broadband grants.
As the head of the EHPP Program and an EPO, she is responsible for overall compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other environmental and historic preservation laws and Executive Orders. In this role she works with grant applicants and recipients, as well as federal, Tribal, and state regulators and partners to collaboratively address requirements and streamline processes.
Before joining OICG, Amanda was with the First Responder Network Authority for nine years, serving as the NEPA Coordinator for five years and an auditor for four years.
Juan Nunez
Permitting Coordinator, Strategy Office
Juan Nunez serves as a Permitting Coordinator. Prior to joining NTIA, he worked for the Economic Development Administration (EDA). Prior to EDA, he served as a project manager for local government in the State of Georgia for nearly a decade. In this role, he led the intergovernmental group, coordinating with state and federal agencies. Juan earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Utah.
Programmatic Updates
Permitting Progress and Success with NANA Regional Broadband Network Project
The NANA Regional Broadband Network (NRBN), funded by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) is a 695-mile fiber optic cable route that will connect eight tribal communities throughout the NANA region, one of the most remote areas in Northwest Alaska. This project consists of a combination of terrestrial ground-laid, subsea, trenched, and aerial cable that will connect villages across vast distances. It represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to provide critical infrastructure to unserved populations, enabling access to jobs, healthcare, and education while allowing people to remain in their home communities.
The project required multiple federal permits and represented an opportunity for collaboration across multiple federal agencies, including the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council). It was posted on the Permitting Council’s FAST-41 dashboard as a covered project, providing access to tools and resources that improved coordination, promoting transparency and predictability in permitting for this complex project. With NTIA as the lead agency and the close support of the Permitting Council, the Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Army Corps of Engineers, and National Marine Fisheries Service committed to completing the environmental analysis within nine months of initiating the FAST-41 process and completing permitting authorizations shortly thereafter. This ambitious schedule was necessary to accommodate the shortened construction windows for both summer and winter deployment in Alaska. The project achieved all its milestones on time – or early, with no requests for extensions, through the dedication and commitment of the NANA Regional Corporation and federal partners.