Watchdog challenges $535,500 award for broadband development as ‘overlapping’ local effort

Nebraska Examiner exposes state agency’s duplicative grant

A state agency in Nebraska is being asked to reconsider its granting of $535,500 to provide high-speed internet service as a duplication of a broadband project already underway in that area.
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) awarded the grant to Lincoln Electric Cooperative (LEC) in 2023, without consulting or coordinating with LEC or other local stakeholders.
The Nebraska Watchdog, a nonprofit news outlet that exposes public corruption and waste, filed a formal request for reconsideration with the NDA, citing the potential conflict of interest and violation of the state’s broadband policy.

Broadband access is a critical issue for rural communities, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
The Biden administration has announced plans to distribute $42.5 billion nationwide to provide reliable and affordable internet service for every home and business in the U.S. by 2030.
The Department of Economic Development’s (DED) Office of Broadband Development (OBD) has launched an interactive map to help invest $1.7 billion in BEAD funding, which stands for Broadband Expansion Assistance Demonstration.