Minnesota: Keep BEAD Fast and Grounded in Local Expertise

WASHINGTON, April 2, 2025 – Minnesota’s broadband office urged the Commerce Department Thursday to protect state-level decision-making under the $42.5 billion Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment program, while making changes “to improve program acceleration and efficiency.”

In a letter sent Thursday to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Minnesota Office of Broadband Development Executive Director Bree Maki called on the federal government to “respectfully request that [the National Telecommunications and Information Administration] continue to allow states to make choices that will best allow their residents to get online quickly.”

“Congress created [BEAD to give] states the power to create state-specific programs to suit our needs,” Maki wrote. “We urge you not to make any changes that will slow down the program,” and “are requesting enhancements to boost the number of actual applications submitted and maximize coverage of eligible Broadband Service Locations.”