BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana has completed federal environmental reviews for broadband projects covering more than 50,000 serviceable locations, clearing another step toward deploying $1.36 billion in federal funding to expand high-speed internet access across the state.
The Louisiana Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity, known as ConnectLA, said Louisiana is the first state in the nation to complete National Environmental Policy Act approvals for projects funded through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program.
The state’s BEAD funding is expected to support broadband deployment to approximately 124,000 unserved and underserved locations. Louisiana is targeting statewide access to high-speed internet by 2028.
Completion of the environmental reviews allows affected broadband projects to move closer to construction. The projects are being administered through Louisiana’s GUMBO 2.0 program, which is backed by the federal BEAD program.
ConnectLA said its broadband initiatives have helped more than 450,000 Louisiana residents gain access to high-speed internet since 2023.
“By completing NEPA approvals for over 50,000 broadband serviceable locations, Louisiana is on track to close the digital divide by 2028,” ConnectLA Executive Director Veneeth Iyengar said. “We’re one step closer to full coverage, marking a significant phase of expansion with every approval.”
The federal funding represents a significant infrastructure investment for Louisiana, particularly in rural and other areas where high-speed internet service has been unavailable or limited. The BEAD program provides federal funding to states for broadband infrastructure intended to reach unserved and underserved locations.
Louisiana’s projects are proceeding under the federal government’s Benefit of the Bargain initiative, a 2025 National Telecommunications and Information Administration effort focused on reducing deployment costs and accelerating broadband construction.
As additional projects move through the development process, ConnectLA said the state remains on track to reach its statewide broadband access goal in 2028.