State Rep. Carl Walker Metzgar | Pennsylvania 69th Legislative District
State Rep. Carl Walker Metzgar | Pennsylvania 69th Legislative District
Rep. Carl Walker Metzgar, representing Somerset and serving as the House Republican designee to the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA), announced a request for public input on the newly drafted first volume of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program.
Metzgar emphasized the importance of broadband accessibility for rural residents in Pennsylvania. "In order to meet the needs of today, high-speed broadband must be accessible for residents living in rural Pennsylvania," he stated. He compared this expansion to "the modern-day equivalent of rural electrification," highlighting the significance of public input in developing a strategy for statewide broadband deployment.
The PBDA approved a multi-year plan in August aimed at securing over $1 billion in federal funding to enhance broadband access across numerous locations within Pennsylvania. The initiative, titled "Connecting the Commonwealth," seeks to provide affordable broadband access to underserved regions through infrastructure expansion, partnerships with community institutions for digital literacy training, and enhancement of existing affordability programs.
Residents interested in reviewing the draft document can submit comments by navigating to page two and clicking on “this form” under the overview section at the top of the page. The deadline for submissions is set for 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, October 10.
The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority was created by Act 96 of 2021 by the Legislature. Its role is to coordinate and facilitate funding efforts for broadband expansion throughout Pennsylvania.
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