“Some states are on the 1-yard line”
Republicans criticized the Biden administration for not but distributing grant cash, however the NTIA mentioned in November that it had permitted preliminary funding plans submitted by each state and territory. Feinman mentioned the change in path will delay grant distribution.
“Some states are on the 1-yard line. A bunch are on the 5-yard line. Extra shall be getting there each week,” he wrote. “These more-sweeping modifications will solely trigger delays. The administration may repair the issues with this system through waiver and keep away from slowdowns.”
This system is on pause, even when the brand new authorities leaders do not admit it, in keeping with Feinman. “The administration needs to make modifications, however does not need to be seen slowing issues down. They can not have each. States must be suggested that they need to both decelerate or cease doing subgrantee choice,” he wrote.
Delaware, Louisiana, and Nevada had their last proposals permitted by the NTIA in January, just a few days earlier than Trump’s inauguration. “Shovels may already be within the floor in three states, and so they may very well be within the floor in half the nation by the summer time with out the proposed modifications to venture choice,” Feinman wrote.
The three states with permitted last proposals at the moment are “in limbo,” he wrote. “This is senseless—these states are able to go, and so they acquired the job achieved on time, on finances, and have plans that obtain common protection,” his electronic mail mentioned. “If the administration cares about getting shovels within the floor, states with permitted Closing Proposals ought to transfer ahead, ASAP.”
Different states that had been nearing the ultimate stage are additionally in limbo, Feinman wrote. “No determination has been made about how a lot of the present progress the 30 states who’re already performing subgrantee choice needs to be allowed to maintain,” he wrote. “The administration merely can’t say whether or not the time, taxpayer funds, and personal capital that had been spent on these processes shall be wasted and the way a lot states must re-do.”
