“Two years of work in two months”: States cope with Trump Administration broadband overhaul

The recent changes to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program "undoubtedly create additional work and effort for Maine and every other state and territory," said Maine Connectivity Authority president Andrew Butcher. "So we will execute it as quickly and efficiently as possible, but it kind of jams two years of work into two months." The new timeline is difficult, but "Secretary Lutnick has committed that funds will be awarded and projects started this year. We're going to hold them to that," he said. Butcher said he was relieved that the BEAD program wasn't canceled entirely. He pointed to President Trump's recent move to kill the separate $2.7 billion grant program created by the Digital Equity Act of 2021. Maine was supposed to receive $35 million from the Digital Equity Act for several programs that would provide devices, digital skills training, STEM education, telehealth access, and other services. Trump claimed the Digital Equity Act is "racist and illegal." Butcher said that "for all anyone knows, it was canceled simply because the word 'equity' is in it." He pointed out that the same word appears in the title of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. Given that, "the updated policy guidance for the BEAD program could have been worse," Butcher said.