West Virginia is sitting on more money per capita for broadband expansion than any other state, but those funds have not translated to a single person being connected. But federal and state officials told attendees of an annual conference that’s about to change.

Tuesday marked the first day of the 2024 West Virginia Broadband Summit at the Embassy Suites in downtown Charleston. The annual event brings together industry leaders in the world of broadband and telecommunications, representatives of construction and labor, and state and federal officials.

The timing of this year’s summit comes just a few days before the Thursday, Oct. 24, deadline for grant funding applications for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program through the West Virginia Department of Economic Development’s Office of Broadband.

The Office of Broadband began its pre-application period for BEAD-funded grants on March 18 through May 30. The project application portal opened on Aug. 26. West Virginia was one of three states to be awarded its federal BEAD funding in June 2023.

“We are ahead of other states in the region and ahead of other states in the nation,” said Kelly Workman, director of the Office of Broadband.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approved West Virginia’s Volume II Initial Proposal for the BEAD program in April. Approval of the BEAD plan means West Virginia can begin drawing down the $1.2 billion in funding the state was awarded in June 2023 through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which was signed into law in 2021 and negotiated by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va.

“It’s really, really nice to be in Washington at a time when you’re launching a very large program such as this,” said Capito, who gave introductory remarks Tuesday morning at the summit. “All of the folks at the Department of Commerce who talk to me about our state say ‘wow, you guys are really ahead of the curve. You guys are really getting it done’ in terms of applications and paperwork.”

Capito said when she helped push through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act more than three years ago, she had hoped that broadband expansion projects would have already begun by now. But she said she was excited for the projects that are now right around the corner.

“It takes way too long,” Capito said. “This thing has been in motion for three years, and not one dollar has flowed on this federal (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) project…We all know the bureaucracies. We all know the frustrations; it doesn’t do really good to concentrate on that because we are where we are. We have to live in the realities.

“It is great to have West Virginia at the forefront…but fact of the matter is we haven’t connected one person yet,” Capito continued. “Thursday you close out the applications. I think the world is going to open up for us here in West Virginia so we can see where the areas of interest are and where the gaps are that can be filled quickly so we can get the money flowing into West Virginia and get that final OK to start really digging the dirt and making the big difference that we know broadband can do.”

Guiding the planning process along the way has been the state Broadband Enhancement Council, which has worked on improving the accuracy of maps showing unserved and underserved parts of the state.

“The council knows what a busy time this is for ISPs (internet service providers), engineers, utilities, program administrators, and more,” said Robbie Morris, chairman of the Broadband Enhancement Council. “There is an incredible amount of work that goes on behind-the-scenes…as they say, teamwork makes the dream work, and that’s certainly the case for broadband expansion in West Virginia.”

Chip Spann, the outgoing federal program officer for West Virginia and Kentucky for the NTIA, said he was proud of the work West Virginia has done to keep itself ahead of other states for broadband program planning. Spann said the close cooperation between state officials, utilities, ISPs, and union workers will help ensure West Virginia remains ahead.

“You guys are tight, and that is why you’re going to make this a success,” Spann said, who will be heading up the NTIA Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program.

“What West Virginia is doing is really leading in a lot of ways,” said Ben Fineman, the incoming NTIA interim federal program officer. “You’re bringing different state and federal funding sources to the table to work together to make sure you get the job done. I was really heartened by that…We are on the precipice of closing the first round for your sub-grantee selection. West Virginia is leading the nation.”

Attendees also heard from Mitch Carmichael, the outgoing cabinet secretary of the Department of Economic Development. A former state Senate president, lawmaker, and telecommunications official, Carmichael has overseen much of the broadband expansion planning since 2021.

“We’ve realized the vision of internet for all West Virginia,” Carmichael said. “COVID highlighted it…but we’ve known it all along. There are those in this room who invested their lives and careers in providing broadband for the citizens of West Virginia. It’s you in the room who have carried the torch of prosperity and opportunity out into the rural areas of our state. We are not only leading the pack; we are leapfrogging many of the other states.”Top of Form