BATON ROUGE – Louisiana has become the first state in the nation to complete National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) approvals for Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) projects, clearing a major federal hurdle and advancing the state’s effort to move broadband funding into active construction.
Louisiana’s BEAD providers are not only the first in the country to receive NEPA approvals but also the first positioned to formally begin construction, marking a significant shift from planning to execution.
To date, nearly 5,000 broadband serviceable locations (BSLs) across 12 parishes, representing projects from six internet service providers, have received approval from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to proceed.
“With the support of the Trump administration and our congressional delegation, Louisiana is turning federal investment into real infrastructure and delivering results,” said Gov. Jeff Landry. “These approvals keep that momentum going and move us closer to full connectivity.”
State officials also credited NTIA for moving quickly through the federal review process, completing approvals well within the timelines provided to states and helping accelerate deployment on the ground.
“When the Trump NTIA restructured the BEAD program last year, it required the use of the Environmental Screening and Permitting Tracking Tool to improve permitting efficiency and track project progress,” said Arielle Roth, administrator of NTIA. “This has accelerated the previously stalled BEAD program — approvals that once took months can now be completed in as little as 48 hours, removing a major barrier to deployment and moving us closer to shovels in the ground and broadband availability for all Americans.”
“These approvals represent one of the most complex steps in the federal process, and Louisiana is the first to clear it at this level,” said Veneeth Iyengar, executive director of ConnectLA. “NTIA has been a strong partner in this work, moving quickly and staying well within the timelines they set for states. That coordination has made it possible for us to keep projects moving and get to construction faster. This is exactly how the program is supposed to work, and it’s what allows us to deliver results for the communities we serve.”
Following the 30-day community notice period, providers will begin construction on approved projects, expanding reliable, high-speed internet in areas that have historically lacked access to internet service.
Louisiana is planning for all remaining NEPA approvals to be completed by July 4, keeping the state on an accelerated timeline as additional BEAD-funded projects move through the pipeline. Louisiana remains on track to achieve full connectivity statewide by 2028, two years ahead of the federal goal.
A full breakdown of approved projects by provider, parish and community is included below.