125K West Virginians to lose broadband internet help as federal funding runs out

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Faces Funding Crisis, Threatening Internet Access for West Virginians

For more than two years, a key federal broadband program has been a lifeline that helped people afford the internet by pouring billions of dollars into efforts to close the digital divide.

That could all change in the next few weeks when the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) runs out of money, leaving around 125,000 West Virginians — and millions more Americans — without a benefit that has improved internet access across the country.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get fact-based, in-depth reporting on the politics and policies shaping West Virginia.

• Processing…
• Success! You’re on the list.
• Whoops! There was an error and we couldn’t process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

The Importance of the ACP in West Virginia

The ACP has been significant in West Virginia, one of the least connected states in the nation. Almost the entire state population meets federal definitions for groups that have historically been less likely to use computers or the internet.

But barring a last-minute intervention from Congress, the program could soon end. In February, officials stopped accepting new enrollments, taking affordable internet off of the table for eligible households. The Federal Communications Commission, which oversees the program, says that it has just enough cash to fully operate the program through the end of April before running out sometime in May.

Congress would need to extend the program’s funding, but has yet to bring it to a vote. In public comments and media interviews, Sens. Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin have said that they would support more funding, but West Virginia’s representatives in the House — both of whom voted against the 2021 infrastructure law that created the ACP — have not discussed the issue publicly, and did not respond to emailed questions.

Now, the ACP is set to expire at the same time as West Virginia officials are using a flood of resources from the federal government to improve broadband access across the state.

Even as the number of households with broadband in West Virginia increases in the coming years, it could mean little if people can’t afford the internet they now have access to.

Gaylene Miller, state director of the West Virginia AARP, said older West Virginians make up a large number of people enrolled in the program and would be hit hard by it running out of money. Research has shown that older adults rely on the ACP to access work opportunities and telemedicine, vital supports for their lives.

The ACP is the main way West Virginians get affordable internet

The Affordable Connectivity Program began as the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the country. As stories of students working on homework in restaurant parking lots and adults struggling to connect to telehealth and remote work circulated, the federal government announced that it would use one-time funding of $14.2 billion to create the program as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.

As officials have worked to improve broadband access, cost has been a significant obstacle in getting people connected.

“The higher your income is, the more likely it is that you have home broadband,” said Colby Humphrey, an officer with the Pew Charitable Trust’s Broadband Access Initiative. He added that the ACP has been key in expanding access to affordable internet in the country.

Still, even with that potential, the program got off to a slow start. In 2022, West Virginians eligible for the ACP told Mountain State Spotlight that they knew little about the program, and local nonprofits that could play a key role in getting people signed up said that they were not given information from the federal or state government about it.

Since then, West Virginia officials have encouraged people to sign up for the program through press releases and a public communications campaign.

And the number of households enrolled in the program has doubled, going from roughly 69,500 households enrolled in June 2022 to around 125,000 last month. But that’s still just a fraction of the roughly 360,000 households in the state that are estimated to be eligible for the ACP benefits.

West Virginia is about to get over a billion dollars to improve access to broadband and state officials had planned to use the ACP to help people afford the internet once it reached their homes.

“The ACP is currently the primary program addressing affordability in West Virginia,” the state wrote in a plan submitted to the federal government last year about how it plans to deploy the $1.2 billion in funding to build out broadband infrastructure.

The West Virginia Department of Economic Development, and the Office of Broadband did not respond to questions about how it planned to deal with affordability in the absence of the ACP.

The program could still be saved, but time is running out

At this point, the only way to save the ACP would be for Congress to pass legislation that allocates more funding, a request that broadband advocates, more than two dozen state governors, and 174 mayors have called for in recent months. The Biden administration wants the program to receive $6 billion in funding, enough money to extend the program to the end of 2024.

Two appropriations bills in Congress, one in the House and one in the Senate, would extend the money. But neither bill has been brought to the floor of a chamber at this point, and while both bills have bipartisan support, the majority of sponsors in Congress are currently Democrats.

In the Senate, Capito said she is part of a working group that is drafting a plan to reform the program and find a long term funding solution. She said changes are needed to stop fraud within the program but did not cite examples.

“I remain concerned about the 124,540 West Virginians that use the Affordable Connectivity Program, which is set to expire at the end of next month,” Capito said.

Last month, Manchin told a communications industry publication that he supported funding for the ACP. The other two members of West Virginia’s congressional delegation, Reps. Carol Miller, R-WV, and Alex Mooney, R-WV, did not respond to emailed questions about extending the program.

Right now, ACP supporters say that they are focused on securing more funding before the money runs out. Without the program, “we’re going backwards,” said Angela Siefer, the executive director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance.

“Are we really okay as a country with

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.c: Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the internet in least developed countries by 2020.
   • Indicator 9.c.1: Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology.

2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
   • Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, by age, sex, and disability.

3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.16: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources.
   • Indicator 17.16.1: Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks that support the achievement of the sustainable development goals.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Analysis

The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The article discusses the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which aims to provide affordable internet access. This aligns with SDG 9’s target of significantly increasing access to information and communications technology and striving to provide universal and affordable access to the internet. The indicator 9.c.1, which measures the proportion of the population covered by a mobile network, is relevant to this issue.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

The article highlights the importance of the ACP in reducing inequalities in access to the internet. SDG 10 aims to promote social, economic, and political inclusion for all individuals, irrespective of their status. Target 10.2 specifically focuses on empowering and promoting inclusion. The indicator 10.2.1, which measures the proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, is relevant to this issue.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The article mentions the need for partnerships and collaboration to address the funding and continuation of the ACP. SDG 17 emphasizes the importance of partnerships for achieving sustainable development goals. Target 17.16 focuses on enhancing global partnerships and mobilizing resources. The indicator 17.16.1, which measures the number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks, is relevant to this issue.

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: mountainstatespotlight.org

Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.