CHARLESTON, W.VA — The West Virginia Office of Broadband released the first draft of the State Digital Equity Plan, which is available for public comment.

The public comment period is open and will close Monday, August 21. The West Virginia Digital Equity Plan can be viewed online at broadband.wv.gov and at internetforallwv.wv.gov. Feedback can be provided through a brief public comment form. 

For residents who want to view the plan and provide feedback but do not have internet access, paper copies of the Digital Equity Plan and public comment form can be provided at the State’s 11 Regional Planning and Development Councils’ central offices upon request. 

The West Virginia Office of Broadband encourages State residents to view the plan and provide their thoughts before the public comment period ends in August.  

West Virginia’s broadband expansion initiative is well underway. Governor Jim Justice has already approved funding for broadband expansion projects throughout West Virginia, utilizing funds provided by the American Rescue Plan Act. Upon completion, these projects will connect thousands of West Virginians that did not previously have access to high speed internet.  

“We are squarely focused on connecting the unconnected and getting out to the most rural areas that need this funding the most,” Kelly Workman, Director of the Office of Broadband, said.

This draft plan comes following the recent announcement of $1.2 billion in funding through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The State Digital Equity Plan is a required component of the BEAD planning process.

The BEAD Program will fund broadband infrastructure projects to expand access to high-speed internet, while the Digital Equity Program will ensure internet service is affordable and that all West Virginians have access to internet devices, digital literacy resources, and technical support. 

West Virginia residents can contribute to the BEAD and Digital Equity initiatives by providing feedback on the State Digital Equity Plan and by filling out the Statewide Broadband Survey found at broadband.wv.gov/survey/.

The Statewide Broadband Survey will be open for responses until July 30. The Office of Broadband encourages residents to fill out the survey at home on a mobile internet device, such as a smartphone. Paper versions of the survey have also been mailed to heavily unserved and underserved areas of the State.