Nevada takes back $52 million for rural broadband amid fears of missed spending deadline

Nevada has returned $52 million in COVID-19 relief funds intended for expanding rural broadband, as a federal deadline approaches. This setback threatens the state's goal of providing high-speed internet access across the state. With only about three months remaining for the state to spend its $2.7 billion in pandemic relief funds, Stimulus Inc., a contractor working on the broadband expansion, declared it unable to complete certain connections in the Pahrump area by the deadline.

The Pahrump project, which was intended to serve as a hub for building broadband elsewhere, is now in doubt. State officials are uncertain about which areas will be deemed "unserved," though northern Pahrump is likely to be hit hardest. The $52 million has been redirected to various programs, such as mental health care in jails, combating food insecurity, and promoting multifamily housing development.

Nevada has been grappling with rural broadband access issues for years, and this setback adds to the challenges faced in the years-long effort to improve connectivity.