The Office of the Governor of the State of Wisconsin
04/28/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/28/2026 10:00
READ: Gov. Evers, U.S. Sen. Baldwin Send Joint Letter to NTIA Urging Immediate Action to Release Critical Guidance and Funding to Support High-Speed Internet Expansion Efforts[...]
Press Release: READ: Gov. Evers, U.S. Sen. Baldwin Send Joint Letter to NTIA Urging Immediate Action to Release Critical Guidance and Funding to Support High-Speed Internet Expansion Efforts Statewide
State of Wisconsin sent this bulletin at 04/28/2026 08:00 AM CDT| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 28, 2026 |
| Contact: [email protected] |
| READ: Gov. Evers, U.S. Sen. Baldwin Send Joint Letter to NTIA Urging Immediate Action to Release Critical Guidance and Funding to Support High-Speed Internet Expansion Efforts Statewide |
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MADISON - Gov. Tony Evers, together with U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), last week, sent a joint letter to National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Administrator Arielle Roth, urging the NTIA to immediately issue delayed Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program non-deployment guidance and promptly begin releasing the full remaining funds allocated to states, including a total over $300 million owed to Wisconsin. "Thanks to our efforts as a state, including approving the largest state investment in broadband in Wisconsin's history, more than 410,000 homes and businesses will have access to new or improved internet service, and when the federal government jumpstarted this work with the BEAD program to help states get even more folks connected, our agency leaders got right to work," said Gov. Evers. "Our partners at the Public Service Commission have followed BEAD deployment efforts by the book, and when the Trump Administration moved the goal post for accessing critical funds, the state did not hesitate in its work to adapt our approach. As a result of our efforts and flexibility, Wisconsin was awarded more than $1 billion through BEAD last year. Yet, here we are again, unable to move forward with plans the federal government has approved due to unexplained delays. This has to stop, and we are asking the Trump Administration to end this confusion expeditiously." "Affordable, accessible broadband is essential for Wisconsinites to connect with loved ones, do their homework, meet with doctors, and operate their businesses. That's why I fought to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and worked with Gov. Evers to deliver over $1 billion to ensure communities in every corner of the state have the high-speed internet they deserve," said U.S. Sen. Baldwin. "This process has already taken far too long, and the continued, unexplained delays and confusion caused by the Trump Administration are preventing us from getting more Wisconsinites online. We are calling on President Trump to release the remaining funds to Wisconsin immediately." Expanding high-speed internet and closing the digital divide in Wisconsin has been a top priority for Gov. Evers and Sen. Baldwin. Since 2019, the Evers Administration has allocated more than $345 million in state and federal funds to expand high-speed internet, including the largest state investment in Wisconsin's history. Thanks to these investments, more than 410,000 homes and businesses will have new or improved broadband services. In addition, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act included historic investments in broadband expansion via the BEAD program, championed by Sen. Baldwin. Last December, Gov. Evers announced that the federal government had approved Wisconsin's final BEAD program proposal, the last major milestone in the state's efforts to expand high-speed internet statewide through the federal program, unlocking over $1 billion in federal investments secured under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). As approved by NTIA, the awards will provide funding to serve all BEAD-eligible locations throughout the state, with support from more than $397 million in matching funds provided by recipients. Funding will also support high-speed fiber internet services at Community Anchor Institutions such as schools, libraries, and local government and educational facilities. Created under the BIL, which was approved by Sen. Baldwin and passed by the U.S. Congress in 2021, Gov. Evers and his administration have engaged in robust outreach and planning efforts to continue to expand internet service through the implementation of the BEAD Program. The Evers Administration's proposal aims at expanding access to high-speed internet to more than 175,000 homes and businesses across the state, building upon Gov. Evers and the Evers Administration's efforts to close the digital divide. Additionally, this letter comes as, in February, Gov. Evers and Public Service Commission of Wisconsin Chairperson Summer Strand celebrated more than $56 million that was awarded as part of the BEAD program to the Sokaogon Chippewa Community to help expand broadband to thousands of homes across Florence, Forest, and Marinette counties, emphasizing the impact, reach, and importance of these federal funds. Since the significant restructuring of the BEAD Program commenced by the Trump Administration in 2025, the state of Wisconsin and many Wisconsin broadband stakeholders have actively participated in NTIA's listening sessions on the use of BEAD savings funds. The state anticipated that NTIA would release the aforementioned non-deployment guidance by the March 11, 2026, deadline established by President Trump's Executive Order "Ensuring A National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence." However, a month has passed since this deadline, and this guidance has yet to be released, threatening progress on Wisconsin's planned and intended uses for BEAD non-deployment funding, which are critical to the overall success of the program. A transcript of Gov. Evers and U.S. Sen. Baldwin's letter to NTIA Administrator Roth is available below. Dear Administrator Roth: We are writing to urge the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to issue the delayed Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program non-deployment guidance and begin releasing the full remaining funds allocated to states, including Wisconsin's over $300 million, without delay. We also request that NTIA's guidance on BEAD non-deployment funding aligns with the criteria outlined in the authorizing legislation of BEAD, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), as well as state priorities. Affordable, accessible high-speed internet is a necessity for how we live, work, and stay connected. That's why expanding high-speed internet and closing the digital divide in Wisconsin has been a top priority for us, both at the state and federal levels. Since 2019, the Evers Administration has allocated more than $345 million in state and federal funds to expand high-speed internet, including the largest state investment in state history. Thanks to these investments, more than 410,000 homes and businesses will have new or improved broadband services. In addition, the IIJA included historic investments in broadband expansion via the BEAD program, championed by Senator Baldwin. Under the IIJA, Wisconsin was awarded $1.05 billion in federal funds to connect more Wisconsinites to high-speed internet. Since the significant BEAD restructuring commenced by the Trump Administration in 2025, the state of Wisconsin and many Wisconsin broadband stakeholders actively participated in NTIA's listening sessions on the use of BEAD savings funds. We anticipated that NTIA would release the aforementioned non-deployment guidance by the March 11, 2026, deadline established by President Trump's Executive Order "Ensuring A National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence." However, this guidance has yet to be released. Wisconsin's planned and intended uses for BEAD non-deployment funding are critical to the overall success of our program, but many of these plans are time sensitive and must be sequenced and coordinated closely with our approved broadband deployment efforts. Activities like permitting, workforce development and training, and additional broadband deployment will be the most efficient and impactful if they are approved and implemented immediately. For our last-mile deployment projects aimed at connecting very rural Wisconsinites to be the most successful, non-deployment guidance must be issued, and the funding must be released to the state to put to work as allowed by the law. The unnecessary delay in accessing Wisconsin's $300 million is hindering our state's ability to expand critical access. We'd also like to highlight Wisconsin's top priorities in utilizing BEAD non-deployment funds and reemphasize recommendations previously communicated to NTIA by the Wisconsin Broadband Office. Wisconsin's highest priority for non-deployment funding is prompt and flexible access to ensure service to all eligible locations. NTIA and states should anticipate that a portion of awarded projects may not be completed as proposed. Although the BEAD program incorporates safeguards to mitigate risk, external factors such as evolving market conditions, mergers, and more may result in project withdrawals, defaults, or incomplete service delivery. To fulfill the goals of the BEAD program and Wisconsin's goal to reach all people and businesses in BEAD-eligible locations, states must be able to rapidly access allocated non-deployment funds to address unforeseen circumstances for continued broadband infrastructure investment. Another key priority is workforce development and broadband adoption activities that support the timely completion of broadband deployment projects and ensure networks are operational, maintained, and ready for subscriber activation. Eligible workforce activities should include education and training for broadband deployment and network operations occupations, such as broadband installation and service technicians, telecommunications specialists, fiber and wireless technicians, trenchers, radio frequency and field engineers, utility construction technicians, network and systems administrators, technical support specialists, tower installers, cybersecurity professionals, and related roles. We further recommend that NTIA recognize workforce readiness and broadband adoption as measurable, essential enablers of long-term program success and economic resilience. Allowable activities should include broader workforce training and digital upskilling needed for participation in an AI-enabled economy. Strategic investment in workforce and adoption activities will accelerate deployment timelines, strengthen network sustainability, increase subscriber uptake, and ensure communities are prepared to fully leverage high-quality broadband service now and into the future. Finally, we recommend that NTIA establish a flexible, iterative, and expedited approval process for states so Wisconsin can respond to urgent and time-sensitive BEAD program needs both now and in the future. We request that NTIA provide a transparent and consistent framework through which all states may propose and receive timely review of additional non-deployment activities or projects. Flexibility is essential for states, and by providing flexibility states will be better able to make strategic investments in infrastructure and activities that maximize the value of last-mile deployments already committed under the BEAD program. Supporting state-led BEAD strategies is essential to maximize national value and ensure the timely, effective achievement of program objectives, including connecting all Wisconsinites to high-speed internet. These funds have already been designated to each state and should be accessible for state to utilize without delay. We urge you to release the BEAD non-deployment guidance and ensure that Wisconsin and other states promptly receive our full BEAD allocation. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, Tony Evers Governor Tammy Baldwin Senator |
| An online version of this release is available here. |
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The Office of the Governor of the State of Wisconsin published this content on April 28, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 28, 2026 at 16:00 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]