Published on 2/15/2023

Filed under: Telecommunications

Nation’s Utility Regulators Join Pennsylvania in Push to Preserve Millions in FCC Funding for Access to High-Speed Internet Services in Underserved Areas

HARRISBURG – At the annual winter policy summit of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), a resolution sponsored by Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) Chairman Gladys Brown Dutrieuille was unanimously adopted today by NARUC’s Board of Directors following approval by the NARUC Committee on Telecommunications, of which Chairman Dutrieuille is a member. Chairman Dutrieuille’s resolution urges the FCC to retain the federal support earmarked for broadband deployment in any state, including Pennsylvania, where the FCC later disqualifies a bidder from getting that support. 

The resolution impacts approximately $63 million in broadband funding that had been allocated to Pennsylvania, and nearly $2.3 billion in federal funding support for a long list of states – which was a factor in the strong support that has been received from utility commissioners across the country.

“I’m grateful for NARUC’s full bipartisan support because at the end of the day, this resolution is about fairness and access to much-needed high-speed internet services,” said Chairman Dutrieuille.  “The needs for broadband access – both in Pennsylvania and across other states – were already clearly identified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Federal dollars previously awarded for specific areas to meet that need should be retained for use in those regions.”

Chairman Dutrieuille noted that consumers had no control over the rejection of these applications to support their need for broadband – but now may be behind because a successful bidder has been disqualified through no fault of the consumer or the state. She added that the FCC identified the needs in those areas before the auction and that need will not go away just because a bidder’s application was rejected.