[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 244 (Thursday, December 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 103788-103789]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30271]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Regional Roundtables on Broadband Program Sustainability
AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of regional roundtables on broadband program
sustainability.
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SUMMARY: The National Telecommunications and Information
Administration's (NTIA) Office of internet Connectivity and Growth
(OICG) administers the following grant programs: the Broadband, Equity,
Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, the Digital Equity (DE) Grant
Programs, the Broadband Infrastructure Program (BIP), the Connecting
Minority Communities (CMC) Pilot Program, the Enabling Middle Mile
Broadband Infrastructure (MM) Program, and the Tribal Broadband
Connectivity Program (TBCP). NTIA will host seven (7) regional meetings
for grantees of these programs between February and May 2025. These
events will provide technical assistance and oversight and conclude
with a regional roundtable that enables the public to engage with
grantees, local experts, and other stakeholders working to address
digital inequities. During these regional roundtables, attendees will
participate in critical discussions on how the internet for All
programs are impacting communities and strategies for making those
investments and initiatives last. Each regional roundtable program will
feature experts from local and State governments, public interest
groups, academia, and industry. They will also provide platforms for
public and private stakeholders to align on shared goals for every
resident to experience the benefits of technology.
DATES: NTIA will hold the regional roundtables based on the following
schedule. Participants can attend more than one meeting, but NTIA
encourages everyone to attend the regional roundtables closest to their
community:
1. Regional Roundtable on Broadband Program Sustainability #1--
Southeast: ATLANTA, GA--February 14, 2025, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
2. Regional Roundtable on Broadband Program Sustainability #2--
Northern Plains: BOULDER, CO--March 11, 2025, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
3. Regional Roundtable on Broadband Program Sustainability #3--
West: SAN DIEGO, CA--March 19, 2025, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
4. Regional Roundtable on Broadband Program Sustainability #4--
Southwest: AUSTIN, TX--April 9, 2025, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
5. Regional Roundtable on Broadband Program Sustainability #5--
Alaska and Territories: ANCHORAGE, AK--April 23, 2025, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
6. Regional Roundtable on Broadband Program Sustainability #6--
Northeast: BOSTON, MA--May 14, 2025, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
7. Regional Roundtable on Broadband Program Sustainability #7--
Midwest: CHICAGO, IL--May 22, 2025, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
ADDRESSES: These regional roundtables will be held in-person. All
general sessions will be streamed for virtual participants. Virtual
participants will receive the streaming link upon registration. NTIA
will post the registration information on its BroadbandUSA website at
https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/events/latest-events. On-site
registration will also be available, but pre-registration is encouraged
to receive important logistical information prior to the event.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maci Morin, National
Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, Room 4843, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230;
telephone: (202) 578-6304; email: [email protected]. Please
direct media inquiries to NTIA's Office of Public Affairs, (202) 482-
7002; email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
(IIJA) (Pub. L. 117-58) authorized and funded five new broadband grant
programs to be administered by NTIA: the Broadband Equity, Access, and
Deployment Program; the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure
Program; and the Digital Equity Act Programs, which include the State
Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, State Digital Equity Capacity
Grant Program, and Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. The
Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program is a $42.45 billion
formula-based program to States, territories, and the District of
Columbia for qualifying broadband deployment, mapping, and adoption
projects. The Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program is
a competitive $1 billion grant program for the construction,
improvement or acquisition of middle-mile infrastructure. The Digital
Equity Act Programs--which includes the State Digital Equity Planning
Grant Program, State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and the
Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program--allocate $2.75 billion to
promote digital inclusion and equity for communities that lack the
skills, technologies, and support needed to take advantage of broadband
connections.
Additionally, the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), 2021 (Pub.
L. 116-260) authorized three new broadband grant programs to be
administered by NTIA: the Broadband Infrastructure Program (BIP), the
Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP), and the Connecting
Minority Communities Pilot Program (CMC). The Broadband Infrastructure
Program is a $288 million broadband deployment program directed to
partnerships between a State, or one or more political subdivisions of
a State, and providers of fixed broadband service to support broadband
infrastructure deployment to areas lacking broadband, especially rural
areas. The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program--created under the CAA
and receiving additional funding under IIJA--is now a $3 billion
program directed to tribal governments to be used for broadband
deployment on tribal lands, as well as for telehealth, distance
learning, broadband affordability, and digital inclusion. The
Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program is a $268 million grant
program to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal
Colleges and Universities, and Minority-Serving Institutions for the
purchase of broadband internet access service and eligible equipment or
to hire and train information technology personnel.
These regional roundtables are subject to change. Session time
changes will be posted on the BroadbandUSA website at https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/events/latest-events. Any event cancellations
will also be posted on the same website. Any date change to a scheduled
regional roundtable will be provided in a notice in the Federal
Register.
[[Page 103789]]
Recordings and transcripts of all previously streamed sessions will
be posted on the BroadbandUSA website at https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov and NTIA's YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/ntiagov within fourteen (14) days following the live
session.
All members of the public are invited to participate in these
regional roundtables. All attendees will be provided a ``Know Before
You Go'' guide at least seven (7) days prior to the regional
roundtables. Grantees are asked to register for the events on the
BroadbandUSA website at https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/events/latest-events. Each registrant to provide their first and last name,
city, state, zip code, job title, organization and email address for
registration purposes.
Individuals requiring accommodations such as sign language
interpretation or other ancillary aids, are asked to notify the NTIA
contact listed above at least fourteen (14) business days before the
event. General questions and comments are welcome via email to
[email protected].
Dated: December 11, 2024.
Stephanie Weiner,
Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications and Information
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-30271 Filed 12-18-24; 8:45 am]
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