New study helps explain why rural Americans die younger: chronic ills, food deserts, health-care access, outmigration

Starting in the 1990s, life expectancy in rural areas fell below that in urban areas, and "The gap keeps growing . . . mainly among prime working-age adults (ages 25–54), which has important implications for rural health, productivity, and economic development," says a new study from the University of Illinois and the Agriculture Department, which tries to explain why. 

It "points to the structural, economic, and retail environments of the counties they live in," writes C.J. Miller of Hoosier Ag Today. The increasing rural death rate is increasingly driven by chronic illnesses such as "heart disease and diabetes, rather than external crises like suicides or drug overdoses. Crucially, the study found that these health disparities largely vanish when accounting for specific county-level characteristics, suggesting that the 'place' itself dictates survival. . . . when the researchers ran linear regression models that adjusted for the local environment—including the density of grocery stores, recreational facilities, local labor force participation, and per-capita income—the statistical significance of a person’s “rural” status virtually disappeared."

Past studies have usually pointed to personal choices; this one looks at the assets (or lack of them) in rural counties that contribute to health and wellness, as Miller describes:

• Food and retail deserts: Rural counties often feature a higher concentration of fast-food establishments relative to full-service grocery stores, making nutritional compliance a geographic challenge.
• Health care access: Decades of rural hospital closures and a persistent shortage of physicians mean chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease are frequently caught later and managed poorly.
• Socioeconomic stress: Lower personal income and suppressed labor force participation rates contribute to an elevated “allostatic load”—the medical term for the cumulative biological wear-and-tear caused by chronic stress.
• Digital divide: Modern health literacy increasingly relies on a robust information environment. A lack of high-speed broadband internet in rural areas limits access to telehealth services and health education.

"The study also touched on the complicated role of internal migration, noting that urban centers frequently attract healthier, upwardly mobile individuals from rural communities — a phenomenon known as the 'healthy migrant hypothesis,' leaving behind a rural population that is older, poorer, and less biologically equipped to withstand structural neglect," Miller reports.

The study was done by researchers at UI Urbana-Champaign and the USDA's Economic Research Service and published in the peer-reviewed journal Economics & Human Biology. It used "restricted-use files from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey spanning 1999 to March 2020. This allowed them to link individual health metrics, including objective laboratory indicators like blood-drawn cholesterol levels and glycohemoglobin (blood sugar tracking), with the specific federal county codes of the participants," Miller reports.

Quick hits: SS Edmund Fitzgerald mystery remains; internet carriers team up; complex beef pricing; what to wear for extreme-weather reporting

At 729-feet, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was the longest ship traveling through the Great Lakes
before it was 'swallowed' by Lake Superior. (Wikipedia photo) 

It's still a story investigative reporters are exploring: What caused the massive SS Edmund Fitzgerald to sink 17 miles from the safety of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin? "On November 9, 1975, the ship left Superior, Wisconsin, with more than 26,000 tons of taconite pellets aboard. By the next evening, Lake Superior had swallowed the Edmund Fitzgerald whole," reports Andrew Daniels of Popular Mechanics. "One answer may be the ship’s cargo hatches. Ric Mixter, who visited the Fitzgerald wreck in the 1990s, said that if he could return, he would take photos of every hatch clamp and investigate where the taconite ended up." Read Pop Mech's deep dive on the famous ship's final voyage here. Listen to Gordon Lightfoot's haunting ballad about the fate of the Edmund Fitzgerald and its 29-member crew here. 

It's expensive for U.S. ranchers to increase their herds.
(Photo by Daniel Quiceno M, Unsplash)

Why can't farmers just raise more cattle so the price of beef will come down? "Ranchers say it's not that simple," reports Jack Dura of The Associated Press. "It’s never been so expensive for Americans to buy a steak or hamburger. … The dwindling number of cattle is a key reason the average price of all uncooked ground beef in the U.S. was $6.86 per pound in March." Even with high beef demand and high prices, ranchers still have to consider the cost of adding to their herd. Livestock owners are already paying more for the cattle they do have because drought and wildfires have left ranchers no choice but to pay for additional feed and water to be delivered to herd sites. 

Despite efforts to get the entire country online, many U.S. residents still live in areas without internet access, but that problem could soon change. AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Communications announced that they are "setting aside their differences and forming a joint venture that will help end wireless dead zones across the U.S., especially in rural and underserved areas," reports Connor Hart of The Wall Street Journal. "The companies said the initiative will help the U.S. extend its global leadership in wireless communications technology … "

Handwritting letters is good for the human brain.
(Photo by T.D. Aran, Unsplash)

Handwriting letters may seem more than a trifle old-fashioned, but revisiting the aged tradition of letter, pen and stamp can reap benefits. Elizabeth Passarella of The New York Times writes, "Research shows that writing by hand lights up multiple parts of your brain — areas that are associated with creativity, memory and your senses — in a way that emailing does not. … Unlike chatting, writing makes you slow down and decide which details of your life are meaningful enough to share." Readers interested in tips to get started with a letter-writing habit can click here.

Whether it's tornado, wildfire or hurricane season, journalists need to be ready to hit the natural disaster beat. But first, preparations need to be made, and extreme-weather reporter Judson Jones is here to help reporters look good no matter what Mother Nature blasts. "Shortly after returning from a trip to chase hailstorms, Jones gave me a rundown of his core outfit packing list that keeps him ready for any assignment," reports Kyle Fitzgerald of Wirecutter. "We talked about why the way he unpacks is as important as the way he packs, as well as the need to bring multiple hats." After years of trial and error, Jones has even found a jacket that keeps him dry during hurricane rain and winds and is stylish enough to wear to dinner post-storm reporting. Read his picks and tips here. 

The world loves American cheese and butterfat products.
(Photo by Edward Howell, Unsplash)

Global cheese and butterfat demand continues to climb, helping American dairy farmers slice off profits even as milk production continues to increase. Cheese exports in March broke records with "over 63,435 metric tons exported, which is an all-time high for single-month exports," reports Sarah Jungman of Dairy Herd Management. The 2026 gain represents a 29% jump in cheese exports over March of 2025. "Butterfat and anhydrous milk fat exports also set a single-month record at 17,074 metric tons shipped, 109.9% higher than March of 2025." During the first quarter of 2026, Mexico exported the largest chunk of American dairy products. 

After four years and many obstacles, 'Internet for All' is unlikely to reach every American

BEAD may not be able to live up to its 'Internet for All' promise.
 (Photo by Jay Heike, Unsplash)

After years of planning and delays, most states have accessed at least a portion of their federal grant funding from the $42.45 billion rural broadband expansion program. Some states are likely to break ground later this year, while others continue work to lock in approvals and installation contracts.

"States have six months to finalize contracts with participating internet service providers and complete required environmental and historic reviews, before construction can begin," reports Jericho Casper of The Daily Yonder.

It has been more than four years since the Biden administration announced the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. Since then, it has gone through multiple phases and two presidential administrations. The Trump administration mandated that states trim their requests, meaning only half of the program's funding has been sent or awarded to states.

With roughly half the money spent, many state planners are wondering: What happens to the $22 billion in unspent funds? Casper explains, "The U.S. Commerce Department put the funding aside for "so-called 'non-deployment' uses,'" but what those are has remained unclear.

Lawmakers asked Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to explain what states can expect the funds to cover, but "he offered few specifics, saying only that guidance would come within two months," Casper reports. Lutnick did say that "states would be able to pursue 'new and exciting things' with the money."

Meanwhile, delays and uncertainty are likely to hurt programs already underway. Casper writes, "State broadband offices in Colorado and New Mexico report that some providers who initially expressed interest may ultimately default on preliminary awards."

Providers have seen their costs multiply over time and may be rethinking their bids. Casper adds, "Fiber suppliers say prices have jumped as much as 40% in recent weeks. . . . For some providers, particularly those serving remote areas, the administrative burden may outweigh the benefits."

The program's complexity and legislative heavy lifting continue to slow its progress. "Industry experts have described BEAD as the 'most complicated broadband grant program ever,'" Casper reports.

And while lawmakers have tried to speed the process, legal battles with local governments and industry providers over broadband permits continue. Casper adds, "The program once billed as 'Internet for All' is expected to reach fewer households and businesses under the revamped plan, and experts say closing the remaining gaps will require sustained investment."

The Digital Equity Act had its funding axed; programming aimed at rural digital access and literacy is gone

Telehealth appointments can offer rural residents more
frequent visits with their doctor. (Adobe Stock photo)

States used federal funding from the Digital Equity Act grants to help rural residents access technology and learn to use it. But this spring, President Donald Trump declared the program "woke" and canceled its $2.75 billion in funding, reports Sarah Jane Tribble of KFF Health News. The funding cut caused local and state rural digital literacy offerings to close.

The Digital Equity Act cites exactly who the funding is intended to help, including "low-income households, older residents, some incarcerated people, rural Americans, veterans, and members of racial or ethnic minority groups," Tribble explains. "Politicians, researchers, librarians, and advocates said defunding the program . . . jeopardizes efforts to help rural and underserved residents participate in the modern economy and lead healthier lives."

Part of the program had deployed teachers, known as "digital navigators," to help connect rural people with computers, cell phones and tablets, along with the skills to use them. Sam Helmick, president of the American Library Association, "recalled how 'they helped grandpas in Iowa check prescriptions online or laid-off factory workers fill out job applications,'" Tribble writes.

Improving rural health is a key reason advocates have continued to push for digital equality in more remote places. Tribble explains, "Nearly 3 million people in America live in areas with shortages of medical professionals and where modern telehealth services are often inaccessible because of poor internet connections."

When internet access and technology know-how are paired, rural residents can benefit from telehealth appointments, prescription ordering, and easier access to health-related information and monitoring.

Angela Siefer, executive director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, told Tribble, "The digital divide is not over." Tribble reports, "The nonprofit filed a lawsuit Oct. 7 seeking to force [the Trump administration] to distribute the money."

Despite delays and a new round of changes, many state broadband leaders feel they are 'on the right path'

Some states had to rework plans to expand internet
access with federal money. (Compare Fibre graphic)

States have been busy preparing and submitting proposals that outline how they plan to spend their portion of $42 billion in federal dollars earmarked for expanding internet access. The plans aim to build out high-speed internet infrastructure in remote and underserved areas.

The federal official in charge of the program, Arielle Roth, said "she is 'pleasantly surprised' at the progress states are making on their revised final plans for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program," reports Chris Teale of Route Fifty.

After Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced last-minute changes to the BEAD program in June, states had to rush to "revamp their plans to make them comply," Teale explains. According to the article, 43 states and territories have submitted their final plans for review and compliance guidance.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has "come under fire for adding an additional bidding round to what they have determined would be the most expensive locations to connect," Teale reports. "The agency rejected those claims in a recent fact sheet."

The overall shifts in the program mean that some states won't need all the money they've been allotted. Teale explains, "Meghan Sandfoss, Kentucky’s executive director of broadband development, said the state will only use around a third of its $1.1 billion allocation to serve its 87,000 eligible locations." It's not clear where the "leftover" funding will go.

States still have a long list of work to be completed; however, "several state broadband leaders said they are on the right path," Teale adds.

Minnesota’s Executive Director of Broadband Development, Bree Maki, told Route Fifty, "I think the harder part for us is the stuff that we can't control: the pole attachments, railroad crossings, those kinds of issues that aren't as cut and dry."

Despite progress toward universal affordable, high-speed broadband, the rules change again

Photo by S. Dhage

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on June 6 announced changes to the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. Stakeholders have "expressed both outrage and optimism as states search for answers on a path forward," reports Chris Teale of Route Fifty.

Teale writes that the NTIA says its changes aim to "remove regulatory burdens, lower costs and make it technologically neutral."

The government "gave states 90 days to comply," Teale writes. "During that time, they will also have to conduct what NTIA called an additional 'Benefit of the Bargain Round' of subgrantee selection that it said would permit all applicants to compete on a level playing field." 

The latest reforms for the $42.5 billion program work to shift its focus away from restricting state options. "NTIA said it would adopt a 'tech-neutral approach to BEAD, having previously expressed a preference for fiber," Teale explains. "Rules around workforce development, climate and environmental impacts have also been rescinded, as has the approval for Delaware, Louisiana and Nevada’s final plans."

Among the trio of states that already had fully approved plans, Delaware's state broadband office reported it was "reviewing" the new guidance, while Nevada's U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen said "she would block the nominations of any Commerce Department appointees that oversee or deal with broadband until the state gets its funding," Teale reports. Louisiana's broadband offices have yet to respond. Several states are taking Delaware's lead and say they are in the process of reform review.

Sen. Jacky Rosen

While some politicians and the Internet & Television Association have hailed the changes as a better path forward, "many outside groups have criticized the new BEAD rules," Teale reports. "Jessica Dine, a policy analyst at New America’s Open Technology Institute, said in a statement the new guidance from NTIA 'creates a confusing, last-minute mess of changes. By forcing a rebidding process on an incredibly short timeline, the new policy notice is, in effect, undoing all of the states’ work on their bidding processes so far.'"

The statement by Nevada's Rosen was by far the most outspoken. She said, "I’m beyond outraged that the Trump Administration has moved the goal post yet again. This decision will put Nevada’s broadband funding in jeopardy, and it’s a slap in the face to rural communities that need access to high-speed internet.”

States are already seeing their digital equity grants get canceled, and the divide hurts rural communities more

The program designed to erase the digital divide has
disappeared from the NTIA website. (Adobe photo)

Not long ago, rural hubs were burgeoning with plans and dollars directed at leveling the digital divide, but things have changed quickly. "Within days of President Donald Trump announcing on social media that he was ending the federal digital equity grant program, it looks to be consigned to history," reports Chris Teale of Route Fifty. The program's information has disappeared from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s website.

States are already seeing their funding cut. Aaron Wheeler, director of Washington state’s broadband office, said last week that "he had received a letter cancelling its $15.9 million grant award," Teale writes. During a press conference with Democratic U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, Wheeler said, “[Losing the funds] undermines our digital equity plan’s goals and perpetuates existing disparities that fall most heavily on our state's rural communities."

Maine had $35 million in grants canceled. The funds were intended "to help the state build digital skills and online safety, especially for rural and low-income residents, veterans and small businesses," Teale reports. "The state said 130,000 people would have been served by the three grants."

The State Educational Technology Directors Association said "at least 20 [states] have seen planning and capacity grant funding pulled by NTIA in light of the president’s order," Teale adds. Murray, "the architect of the Digital Equity Act, said during last week’s press conference that she wants her colleagues to step up, or else legal action could ensue."

What's so appealing about fake health information and how can people combat it?

Stopping to check the facts helps stem the spread of misinformation.
(World Health Organization adaptation via The Converation)

People from all walks of life can get sucked into believing and sharing fake health information from the internet. In his article for The Conversation, global health communication scholar Angshuman K. Kashyap explains why false health data can be so believable and how people can combat it.

Fake health information is written to appeal to human nature. Whether it's a sensationalized problem, more juicy details on a controversial issue, or a simple answer to a complicated problem, many people will keep reading. Kashyap writes, "Fake health information often appears to be true because it mixes a grain of truth with misleading claims."

False health information often looks professional. "In 2019, an article with the false headline 'Ginger is 10,000x more effective at killing cancer than chemo' was shared more than 800,000 times on Facebook," Kashyap explains. "The article contained several factors that make people feel an urgency to react and share without checking the facts: compelling visuals, emotional stories, misleading graphs. . ."

Not only will individuals read and not question data from a fake health story, they will share it, which "has real-world consequences," Kashyap adds. "For example, studies have found that Covid-19-related fake information reduces people’s trust in the government and in health care systems, making people less likely to use or seek out health services."

To detect false health information, researchers and public health organizations have developed three strategies to help health consumers verify health information:

• Double-check health claims with an additional search. Kashyap adds, "Never rely on a single source. Instead, enter the health claim into a reputable search engine like Google and see what trusted sources have to say. . . . Reliable fact-checking websites such as FactCheck.org and Snopes can also help root out fake information."
• Research your information source. Look at a site's "About Us" page, search for information about the author and check dates on cited research and the date of the information's publication. Kashyap writes, "Information on the internet keeps circulating for years and may not be the most accurate or relevant."
• Still don't know what's what? "Don’t share," Kashyap advises. "Forwarding unverified information can unintentionally contribute to the spread of misinformation and potentially cause harm, especially when it comes to health."

U.S. Supreme Court looks poised to allow $8 billion for rural and low-income broadband and phone services

The Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.
(Adobe Stock photo)

The U.S. Supreme Court seems likely to approve continued funding for an $8 billion program for broadband and phone service maintenance and expansion in rural and poor parts of the U.S., reports Mark Sherman of The Associated Press. In what is considered a "new test of federal regulatory power," justices are "reviewing an appellate ruling that struck down as unconstitutional the Universal Service Fund, the tax that has been added to phone bills for nearly 30 years."

John Fritze of CNN reports, "A conservative 'consumer awareness group' challenged [USF] as an unconstitutional 'delegation' of the power of Congress to levy taxes. What’s worse, the group argues, a private entity calculates the amount of money that must be contributed. . . . .The Supreme Court has not invoked the non-delegation doctrine – or the idea that Congress cannot delegate its authority – since the 1930s. It has, for decades, permitted delegations under certain conditions."

The court seem sympathetic to communities that receive USF dollars. Sherman reports, "Liberal and conservative justices alike said they were concerned about the potentially devastating consequences of eliminating the fund that has benefited tens of millions of Americans."

Should the conservative-led court uphold USF funding, the ruling will be a departure from its ongoing efforts to "rein in" federal agencies, Sherman writes. "The Trump administration, which has moved aggressively to curtail administrative agencies in other areas, is defending the FCC program."

Consumer Research calls USF "a 'nightmare scenario' in which Congress has set no limits on how much the FCC can raise to fund the program," Sherman reports. “'Predictably, the USF tax rate has skyrocketed. It was under 4% in 1998 but now approaches 37%,' lawyers for the group wrote."

Congress established the Universal Service Fund in 1996. Fritze explains, "Telecommunications companies contribute billions to that fund – a cost that is passed on to consumers – to pay for programs like E-Rate, which lowers the cost of high-speed internet for libraries and schools."

The court's decision is expected in June.

Two million rural Americans live in 'dead zones' that lack health care providers and reliable internet service

'Dead zone' counties have three things in common: They lack access to high-speed and reliable internet, primary care providers, and behavioral health specialists. (KFF Health News graphic)

In U.S. communities that lack both medical care providers and dependable internet service, residents tend to "live sicker and die younger than others in America," report Sarah Jane Tribble and Holly K. Hacker for KFF Health News. KFF Health News calls regions that lack both services “dead zones.” Roughly 2.7 million Americans live in dead zones, and the vast majority of those zones are rural.

"In 2023, 83% of residents in non-metropolitan, or rural, counties had access to broadband, compared to over 90% of metropolitan residents," reports Sarah Melotte of The Daily Yonder. Out of the 2.7 million Americans who live in dead zones, "two million, or 70% of them, are from rural counties. That means the rate at which rural residents live in these shortage areas is five times higher than the urban rate."

In some cases, communities leverage broadband service and telehealth care to fill in for a lack of providers; but the absence of both options leaves millions disadvantaged. "Compared with those in other regions, patients across the rural South, Appalachia, and remote West are most often unable to make a video call to their doctor or log into their patient portals," KFF reports. "Both are essential ways to participate in the U.S. medical system."

Without reliable high-speed internet, it's hard to attract and keep medical providers in more remote parts of the country. At the same time, poor connectivity means telehealth care isn't an option. "Connectivity dead zones persist in American life despite at least $115 billion lawmakers have thrown toward fixing the inequities," Tribble and Hacker explain. "Federal broadband efforts are fragmented and overlapping, with more than 133 funding programs administered by 15 agencies, according to a 2023 federal report."

The contrast between "the digital haves and have-nots" is stark. "The KFF Health News analysis found that counties with the highest rates of internet access and health care providers correlated with higher life expectancy, less chronic disease, and key lifestyle factors such as higher incomes and education levels," KFF reports. In many rural counties, the lack of reliable high-speed internet access leads to the opposite, where residents tend to live unhealthier, poorer and shorter lives."

Rural advocates push for plan to install fiber optic infrastructure as the best way to close the digital divide

Map by Sarah Melotte, The Daily Yonder, from American Community Survey data

The question of how to close the digital divide between rural America and the rest of the country may not have a simple answer; however, many advocates insist that allowing Low Earth Orbit satellite connection instead of fiber optic build-outs shouldn't be part of the federally subsidized solution.

"In early March, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick proposed changes to a federal broadband connectivity program that would favor Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity," reports Sarah Melotte of The Daily Yonder. "Critics say Lutnick’s proposal to prioritize LEO will worsen the digital divide by abandoning rural communities without the long-term economic benefits of fiber optic infrastructure."

In Washington, most of the battle over rural internet installation centers on the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, with some Republicans griping about its regulatory attachment to fiber technology. "BEAD aims to connect 25 million Americans with high-speed internet in all 56 states and territories," Melotte explains. "Lutnick said he wants to make the program 'technology-neutral' by shifting the focus to LEO satellite connectivity."

While shifting BEAD funding to LEO might lead to faster internet roll-out in rural areas, some experts point out that LEO is a sub-standard internet offering when compared to fiber optic. Melotte explains, "Benton Institute’s Broadband & Society Director of Policy Engagement Drew Garner told The Daily Yonder that fiber optic infrastructure is faster, more reliable, and a larger driver of economic growth compared to satellite internet technology."

BEAD aims to provide fast, reliable internet access for all communities -- even those in remote regions -- while creating a nimble platform for further technology developments. "Garner wrote in a March 4 press release, 'Secretary Lutnick’s reported meddling is likely to leave millions of Americans with broadband that is slower, less reliable, and more expensive,'" Mellote writes. "Fifty-six percent of non-metropolitan counties have low access to broadband, compared to the national average."

Mike Romano, executive vice president of the NTCA – the Rural Broadband Association. said "that BEAD funding is critical in the effort to connect areas where larger internet providers haven’t previously had the financial incentive to invest," Melotte reports. "After connecting all unserved households with high-speed internet, states and territories can invest in programs that advance broadband equity, like remote learning and telehealth services."

Researchers explore bringing medical care to rural Vermonters by adding telehealth hubs to libraries

Almost two-thirds of Vermonters live in rural places.
(Adobe Stock photo)

A lack of rural health care providers often leaves residents with few ways to see medical providers without long-distance traveling. While telehealth services are an option in some smaller communities, a lack of reliable internet can get in the way. A new grant in Vermont aims to answer both challenges by exploring "the feasibility of offering telehealth services at the state’s 185 libraries," reports Chris Teale of Route Fifty. Library telehealth hubs would allow medical care in some of the state's most remote areas.

The research project, known as VITAL-VT, aims to remove obstacles Vermonters face when trying to access health care. Teale explains, "The majority are in rural communities located sometimes hours away from providers. . . . Accessing telehealth is also a challenge due to slow connectivity and gaps in understanding of how to use technology."

Along with a grant from the University of Vermont, the Vermont Community Broadband Board, which coordinates the state's broadband reach, is also supporting VITAL-VT. Robert Fish, VCBB’s deputy director, told Teale, “Everybody is pretty spread out. . . Most of the major health care providers [are in] larger towns, which makes getting access to good health care very difficult for rural Vermonters. . . . Telehealth reduces the need to do that, it's also access to experts around the world you can connect with. It also saves money for the provider, the outcomes can be better, it's better for the environment, there's less transportation, and it also allows more people to participate in care.”

FAIR Health, a nonprofit that looks to make health insurance and health care costs more transparent, "found that telehealth utilization and insurance claims have increased nationally and in every region of the U.S. except the West," Teale reports. "The Northeast region saw a 3.1% jump in telehealth claims." VITAL-VT hopes to pave new ways for telehealth services to reach and care for its residents even in the most rural parts of the state.

Federal plan to provide internet access to more rural areas might include satellite service, which has fans and critics

A new bill would allow satellite internet in rural
areas. (Adobe Stock photo)

Despite bipartisan congressional support for all Americans to have access to speedy internet, discussions on how to get the job done have fallen along party lines, with many Republicans bemoaning the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program as too slow and overly attached to using fiber technology. "New legislation looks to address those complaints," reports Chris Teale of Route Fifty. "The legislation would amend the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law and loosen several requirements."

Rep. Richard Hudson, a North Carolina Republican, "introduced the Streamlining Program Efficiency and Expanding Deployment for BEAD Act, known as the SPEED for BEAD Act," Teale explains. The bill "would clarify that any technology, including satellite internet, can be used to help close the digital divide, and would eliminate what Hudson called 'burdensome' regulations."

While several trade groups "expressed their support for the bill. . . . not [everyone is] convinced that changing BEAD at this stage is the right course of action," Teale reports. "With every state and territory having had their deployment plans approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and several states ready to distribute grant funding and deploy infrastructure, some warned that a change now could delay the program further."

Others insist that spending federal dollars on satellite internet will enrich satellite owners while providing only sub-standard internet access. When Evan Feinman, who had directed BEAD for the past three years, quit, he sent "a blistering email to his former colleagues on his way out the door warning that the Trump administration is poised to unduly enrich Elon Musk’s satellite internet company with money for rural broadband," reports John Hendel of Politico.

Feinman’s "lengthy email, totaling more than 1,100 words is a sign of deep discomfort about the changes underway that will likely transform BEAD," Hendel writes. Feinman warned, "'Stranding all or part of rural America with worse internet so that we can make the world’s richest man even richer is yet another in a long line of betrayals by Washington.'"

A program to expand broadband services in U.S. faces review; many state and local leaders want it to be 'left alone'

Providing every American with broadband access 
is the BEAD program's goal. (Adobe Stock photo)

After Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick committed to a 'rigorous review' of the country's $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, or BEAD, last week, House Republicans lined up at a House subcommittee meeting to complain about the program's failure to provide "internet for all," reports Chris Teale of Route Fifty. Despite those complaints, the program still has solid bipartisan support from those who want BEAD to continue to evolve.

When it comes to congressional calls to scrap the program, state and local leaders have a simple "message for the federal government, Washington, D.C. and Congress: 'Leave it alone; let the states do what they've done,' Missouri State Rep. Louis Riggs, a Republican, told Teale. "'The feds could not do what the states have done. . . . Trying to claw that funding back and stand up a new grant round is the worst idea I've heard in a very long time, and that's saying a lot coming out of D.C.'"

While many Republicans bemoaned the program's red tape and slow roll-outs as failures, others saw opportunities to allow the program to adapt along a learning curve. "In a statement after Lutnick’s announcement, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, a West Virginia Republican, said she favors 'improving the program,' but does 'not want to see West Virginia wait longer than is necessary or have to redo their proposals and application,'" Teale reports. 

Accurate mapping has slowed BEAD disbursements; however, "there has been more movement in several states as Delaware, Louisiana and Nevada have started making grant awards," Teale explains. "Others are hesitant amid the federal uncertainty, however, including Texas, which paused its digital equity program early this month."

The national broadband buildout is running behind schedule; much of the program is still in the planning stages

Broadband builds in remote places are lagging behind
schedule. (Adobe Stock photo)

Many rural communities still lacking reliable, fast internet have plans to address the need through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, known as BEAD. But the "massive federal program meant to expand broadband access to underserved areas across the country is falling behind schedule, state broadband officials and experts say, even as Trump administration actions create further uncertainty about its funding and rules," reports Madyson Fitzgerald of Stateline. 

The BEAD program is in its third year, but much of it remains in the planning stages. The 1,200-resident community of Alpine County, California, "is still waiting to see how BEAD funds will help residents, who most rely on phone lines to connect to the internet and can’t afford high-speed connections," Fitzgerald explains. "They lack internet speed for tele-medicine, banking and tax filing."

When U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick was confirmed in February, "he supported the goals of BEAD but wanted to make sure it was done efficiently and effectively' and sidestepped questions asking him to commit to sending money out to states," Fitzgerald reports. "Griffith said he’s hopeful the money will still flow, noting that most of BEAD’s funds will go to rural areas, many of which tend to elect and support Republicans."

The program still has a bank of glitches to work through. "Officials in some states have run into snags with challenges to the Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Map," Fitzgerald explains. "Through the map challenge process, local governments, internet service providers, nonprofits and other groups can help determine whether a particular location actually has internet service."

Affordability also is an issue. "The BEAD program also mandates state broadband officials include a low-cost service option for low-income households," Fitzgerald reports. "But industry groups have pushed back, calling the rule 'completely unmoored from the economic realities of deploying and operating networks in the highest cost, hardest-to-reach areas.'"

Individual states are helping to expand broadband with their own laws. "As of Feb. 24, lawmakers in 43 states had filed a total of 300 bills regarding broadband access, infrastructure, affordability and more, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures broadband legislation database," Fitzgerald adds. "Lawmakers in 10 states have filed legislation to expand broadband access to rural areas."

A new analysis suggests that when rural areas lack access to civic infrastruture, it contributes to health disparities

The index is based on weighted health outcomes that measure the quality and length of one's life.

(Map by Sarah Melotte, The Daily Yonder, from County Health Rankings data)

When compared to their urban counterparts, rural communities continue to face health disparities for a wide range of reasons; however, a new analysis of County Health Rankings & Roadmaps data by The Daily Yonder suggests that this "disparity is driven partly by unequal access to civic infrastructure," reports Sarah Melotte. A lack of "access to resources like high-speed internet and public libraries is part of the reason rural counties aren’t as healthy as metropolitan ones."

The 2024 CHR&R National Findings Report, Creating Thriving Communities Through Civic Participation, underscored the relationship between a community's civic participation access and the health of its members. Counties with well-resourced civic infrastructure, such as local news, broadband internet and public libraries, were healthier and often more urban.

More insights from the Yonder's analysis:

• Rural counties make up 17 of the top 20 most unhealthy counties in the health outcome index, a CHR&R tool that measures the length and quality of life in a county.
• People who live in rural areas are more likely to experience unequal access to civic infrastructure, according to the report. Rural communities are more likely to lack access to broadband internet and to pay more for a subscription when they do have it.
• Health outcomes also vary by region. Both rural and metro counties in the South are the least healthy compared to other regions, while some of the healthiest counties are in New England.
• The rural South exhibits the worst index scores compared to all other regions in both nonmetropolitan and metropolitan areas.
• The states with the worst inequalities between rural and urban counties are Alaska and Hawaii.

Report on rural places with high broadband utilization rates shows dramatic growth for businesses

Many rural places with high broadband utilization
have increased business growth rates.

Reliable and fast broadband service can bring revenue and jobs to rural areas struggling with poverty and shrinking populations due to few work opportunities, reports Kristi Eaton of The Daily Yonder. A new report from the Center on Rural Innovation "found that in areas with high adoption rates of broadband, self-employment increased by 10% or more."

Amanda Weinstein, director of Research at the Center on Rural Innovation, told Eaton, "For those communities with high broadband utilization, they saw a tremendous difference, specifically with entrepreneurship. We saw not just our businesses not closing, but new businesses opening. The difference was so stark that it was a 213% difference in the business growth rate.”

The town of Statesboro in Bulloch County, Georgia, hopes improving its broadband "will help the community break its pattern of persistent poverty," Eaton writes. "Serial entrepreneur Adam Tsang believes reliable, super-fast Internet is paramount for his Statesboro business, Whiskey Grail. He said that in today’s world, slow connections, even when temporary, have an outsized impact on businesses such as his."

Bulloch County has benefited from the dedication of its broadband service provider, which has installed high-speed fiber broadband service to 100% of the region's locations. Weinstein told Eaton, "What you see from Bulloch Solutions – they are a broadband service provider -- is really this commitment that everyone, and they mean everyone across the county, should have access to high-speed internet.”

Rural places that have successfully installed fiber broadband have seen positive financial shifts, which can make a big difference for the community's quality of life. The report states, "Counties that effectively utilize broadband are seeing marked improvements in local economic dynamism, suggesting that broadband can help mitigate the economic disadvantages often faced by rural areas."

The deployment of broadband from coast to coast gets mixed reviews at a U.S. House subcommittee hearing

More rural states like Montana have struggled with
broadband deployment rules. (Adobe Stock photo)

Part of the bipartisan infrastructure law aims to expand access to high-speed internet for all Americans. The rollout and the millions of dollars attached are overseen by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration through the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment, or BEAD, program.

NTIA was under the scope last week during a House subcommittee hearing on how BEAD was faring, reports Chris Teale of Route Fifty. The hearing included testimony about positive progress alongside criticisms. "The program said it has approved initial plans for 48 of the states and territories that are eligible to receive funding. . . . GOP subcommittee members argued that the program is too complex, not technology neutral, and has onerous pricing and workforce mandates" that make it harder for states to succeed.

Even though NTIA announced the approval of Montana’s plan in early August, Misty Giles, the state's chief operating officer and director of the state Department of Administration "said in her written testimony that NTIA’s requests and shifts in its guidance to states 'are akin to building a plane while flying it without having the necessary instructions to be successful,'" Teale writes. "She said the 'litany' of requirements place an undue burden on states looking to implement BEAD.'"

U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Republican from Washington state and the chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, "said the 'burdensome red tape' from NTIA has created continued delays in the approval process," Teale reports. "NTIA rejected the House subcommittee’s criticism. According to a fact sheet the agency shared, the federal government has made more than $20 billion available in funding and met or exceeded all deadlines imposed by the infrastructure law to keep the program on track."

The hearing hashed out other issues, including technology-neutral needs for some states, and low-cost requirements on internet service providers, which some committee members felt was government overreach. Still, many praised the program's planning and acknowledged its broad challenge. “Subcommittee members gave NTIA credit for recently announcing it would seek comment on the use of alternative technologies in BEAD," Teale reports. "Giles said, 'I understand that trying to have all states and territories swimming in the same direction in the same lane is no small task.'"

More rural states pose challenges for 'broadband for all' installations. Kentucky and West Virginia offer examples.

Spann drove thousands of miles getting 'the lay of the land.'
(Photo by Andie Corbin, Marketplace via LPR)

As the United States works to install broadband for everyone, challenges in states such as Kentucky and West Virginia are particularly tough as build-out contractors juggle reaching high percentages of rural residents and rugged topography. "The state of Kentucky was allotted $1.1 billion to get every home hooked up to high-speed internet," report Kai Ryssdal and Sarah Leeson of Marketplace. West Virginia was allotted 1.2 billion to connect its residents.

Parts of Kentucky and West Virginia are nestled in or flanked by the Appalachian Mountains, which makes for "an interesting case for broadband rollout," Ryssdal and Leeson explain. "With the Appalachian Mountains and forested hills, as well as large rural populations [to reach]. . . . About 20% of Americans live in rural areas, but in Kentucky, the proportion is double" and in West Virginia, 49.7% of the state's total population is estimated to live in a rural area.

Chip Spann is the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's program officer handling broadband] money for Kentucky and West Virginia. "A large part of Spann's role in the challenge process is getting the lay of the land," according to Ryssdal and Leeson. "Spann recounted that he's driven more than 10,000 miles around the two states. . . . In rural areas, laying fiber-optic cables might be around $50,000 per mile, according to Spann. The economics are further complicated in areas with large Amish and Mennonite populations because internet service providers (ISPs) aren't going to find paying customers in those households."

Spann said, "When you're an internet service provider, one of the things that you're trying to account for is, for every mile of infrastructure that I have, I'm hoping that I at least pass a minimum 10 households or more." Ryssdal and Leeson add, "If an ISP doesn't find that level of housing density in an area, it might not be able to generate a return on investment for a costly fiber deployment."

To find out more about how broadband financing and deployment gets done, click here.

The Affordable Connectivity Program helped millions of rural and tribal Americans gain Internet access -- now what?

ACP helped rural and tribal resident bridge the
digital divide. (Adobe Stock photo)

During the pandemic years, rural and tribal communities learned to rely on affordable internet services provided in part by the federal Affordable Connectivity Program. The more dependable and budget-friendly connection helped residents use the web for telehealth appointments, online ordering and remote learning, reports Sarah Jane Tribble of KFF Health News. In May, the ACP ran out of money, and many residents are considering what they may have to sacrifice to keep reliable internet service without the subsidy.

Although the ACP eventually enrolled around 23 million low-income households -- or one in six American families -- its funding was not renewed. "Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) challenged an effort to continue funding the program, saying during a commerce committee hearing that the program needed to be revamped," Tribble writes. Thune claimed that ACP did not reach those that "truly needed it."

Despite a hive of legislative workers trying to iron out the program's shortcomings, funding for ACP ended; however, the Biden administration "announced that more than a dozen companies — including AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast — would offer low-cost plans to ACP enrollees," Tribble reports. "The administration said those plans could affect as many as 10 million households."

Without the ACP, many rural families may be unable to bridge the digital divide. "According to a survey of participants released by the Federal Communications Commission, more than two-thirds of households had inconsistent or no internet connection before enrolling in the program," Tribble explains. "The FCC said that ending the program will affect about 3.4 million rural and more than 300,000 households in tribal areas."