ELECTRIC UTILITY AND ERCOT NEWS
Texas Tribune: Gas power leapfrogs wind for first time in 10 years in Texas’ grid connection queue
May 7 — For the last six months, the volume of gas generation in the Texas grid’s interconnection queue — the yearslong waiting list for electric generators wanting to connect to the grid — has surpassed wind. It’s the first time since January 2016 that gas has overtaken wind in the queue, a shift that reflects the policy and economic headwinds facing the wind industry and data centers favoring gas power as they seek to cash in on the artificial intelligence boom.
https://www.texastribune.org/2026/05/07/texas-power-grid-ercot-interconnection-queue-gas-wind/
Reuters: Texas off-grid power build soars as data centers bridge grid delays
May 6 — The development of behind-the-meter (BTM) power generation is booming in Texas as data center developers seek to deploy facilities faster than grid connections can be completed.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/texas-off-grid-power-build-soars-data-centers-bridge-grid-delays–reeii-2026-05-06/
KVUE: Calls to amend Texas private partnership law meant to speed up projects, save money
May 6 — Lawmakers also heard from ERCOT officials about a pilot program that started in 2023 that shifts away from building massive new power plants. Instead, the grid operator is turning to thousands of home batteries and electric vehicles to act as a single, giant virtual power plant.
https://www.kvue.com/article/news/politics/texas-legislature/texas-house-committee-public-private-partnerships-ercot-grid/269-fd19992a-71af-4330-905d-63fd70de5951
Texas Energy and Power Newsletter: Process is Killing Texas Data Center Projects
May 6 — Maura Yates, CEO of Mothership Energy, explains why the binding constraint is contract complexity, not technology.
https://www.texasenergyandpower.com/p/process-is-killing-texas-data-center
Utility Dive: TXU Energy EV charging program could work in other competitive markets: ChargeScape CEO
May 6 — Ford electric vehicle drivers get 15 hours per day of “free” home charging under a special retail plan in Texas. The automaker says it shifted 515 MWh of energy to off-peak periods in 2025.
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/txu-energy-ev-charging-program-could-work-in-other-competitive-markets-cha/819483/
Data Center Dynamics: AEP sees contracted capacity surge to 63GW, 90% tied to data centers
May 6 — Due to increased load growth, the utility expanded its capital spending plan by $6 billion to $78bn, primarily to support new transmission and generation projects.
https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/aep-sees/
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Hornet Solar project shares economic impact on Swisher County
May 5 — Hornet Solar, developed by Vesper Energy, announced that in 2025 alone, it contributed more than $5 million to the community and generated 1.5 million megawatt-hours of electricity, according to a company news release.
https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/business/2026/05/05/hornet-solar-project-impacts-swisher-county-west-texas-economy/89935224007/
Dallas Morning News: Time for the nuclear option?
May 4 — Texas is in a historic moment, growing faster than its energy grid can keep up. New families arrive each day as local infrastructure struggles to scale fast enough. Data centers are multiplying at a rate the world has never seen. Oil fields and refineries from Midland to the Gulf Coast anchor our energy economy. And in places like Corpus Christi, water is running out. Texas has never faced a moment as consequential as this, and its infrastructure isn’t ready for it.
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-dallas-morning-news/20260504/281638196817057
Victoria Advocate: Louderback takes stance on data center regulations
May 4 — In a statement shared on social media, Louderback said multiple companies have expressed interest in developing data centers at the Port of Victoria, as well as in Bay City, Jackson County and Calhoun County, and emphasized that any projects would be required to supply their own water and power.
https://victoriaadvocate.com/2026/05/04/louderback-takes-stance-on-data-center-regulations/
Houston Public Media: Texas leads nation in utility shutoffs as electric bills rise, federal report finds
March 4 — Texas leads the nation in utilities shutting off electricity and natural gas services to customers who can’t afford their energy bills, according to a report released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/energy-environment/2026/05/04/550798/texas-leads-nation-in-utility-shutoffs-as-electric-bills-rise-federal-report-finds/?amp=1
Williamson County Sun: Power struggle: Neighbors oppose incoming transmission lines
May 4 — Overseen by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and the Public Utility Commission, the transmission lines will bring power from the eastern part of the state to the Permian Basin in West Texas.
https://www.wilcosun.com/news-jarrell-florence-east-williamson-county/power-struggle-neighbors-oppose-incoming-transmission
Dallas Morning News: (Commentary) Time for the nuclear option in Texas?
May 4 — While there is never a single silver-bullet solution, nuclear energy offers Texas a clean, reliable, scalable path to meet energy, water and economic challenges while strengthening our local communities.
https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/article/time-nuclear-option-texas-22236682.php
HR DRIVE: Oncor Electric could fire employee for publicly disparaging smart meters, DC Circuit Holds
May 1 — Texas-based utility Oncor Electric Delivery Co. did not violate the National Labor Relations Act when it fired a field technician for giving disparaging testimony about its new smart meters during a state senate committee hearing, the District of Columbia U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held April 28.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/oncor-electric-could-fire-employee-154100594.html
Midland Reporter Telegram: Oncor moving quickly to expand West Texas power supplies
May 1 —Long before Permian Basin energy companies began electrifying their operations, and long before data centers and bitcoin miners began eyeing the area, Oncor, the state’s largest energy delivery company, was aware of surging demand in West Texas.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/oncor-moving-quickly-to-expand-west-texas-power-supplies/ar-AA228418
E&E News: $33B transmission build-out leaves Texas ranchers fuming
May 1 — Texas is among a growing list of places with vocal opposition to electricity projects across the country from Maryland to Maine. At issue are both the physical effects of huge towers and miles of power lines as well as questions about compensation and due process.
https://www.eenews.net/articles/33b-transmission-build-out-leaves-texas-ranchers-fuming/
Texas Energy and Power Newsletter: Texas Bets on Speed
April 29 — But as Gin Kinney, chief administrative officer at NRG Energy, told Energy Capital Podcast hosts Matt Boms and Josh Rhodes at CERAweek in Houston this year, the company’s planning horizon has collapsed to 12-18 months.
https://www.texasenergyandpower.com/p/ceraweek
Business Wire: Resilient Structures Expands Houston Facility, Plans Additional Production Lines to Meet Growing Demand
April 29 — The facility, located in Humble, Texas, will support utilities as they strengthen infrastructure to improve reliability in the face of more frequent severe weather. The site will play a key role in ongoing efforts to enhance service reliability for communities across the Gulf Coast region.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260429237355/en/Resilient-Structures-Expands-Houston-Facility-Plans-Additional-Production-Lines-to-Meet-Growing-Demand
Guardian: CEOs of US’s top energy firms averaged nearly 16% pay raise to $12.3m, review finds
April 29 — The US’s top utilities’ CEOs enjoyed a 16% pay raise last year – to an average of $12.3m – even as consumers shoulder the pain from high bills spurred by continuing inflation, the Iran war and datacenter growth, a new review of industry financial documents shows.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/29/energy-ceo-pay-raises-2025
Reuters: Graphic Packaging, NextEra to build 250 MW solar plant in Texas
April 29 — Graphic Packaging Holding said on Wednesday it has signed an agreement with NextEra Energy Resources to build a 250-megawatt solar power plant in Texas, aiming to source renewable electricity and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/graphic-packaging-nextera-build-250-mw-solar-plant-texas-2026-04-29/
Real Clear Energy: It’s Time for Texas to Get Competitive on Transmission Development
April 29 — Texas operates the most competitive wholesale electricity generation market in the United States. Every day, hundreds of power generators compete in ERCOT-run auctions to deliver the cheapest power to homes and businesses. The retail electric market is equally robust, with retail electric providers (REPs) vigorously competing for customers based on price, service, and preferences.
https://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2026/04/29/its_time_for_texas_to_get_competitive_on_transmission_development_1179778.html
Utility Dive: What load growth demands of resource planning
April 27 — Utilities and grid operators are facing load growth projections that would have seemed implausible just five years ago. For example, as of last November, the Electric Reliability Corporation of Texas (ERCOT) reported that large loads seeking interconnection by 2030 would increase the peak demand served in ERCOT by 142 gigawatts, or nearly tripling its present-day demand.
https://www.utilitydive.com/spons/what-load-growth-demands-of-resource-planning/818035/
Utility Dive: What load growth demands of resource planning
April 27 — Utilities and grid operators are facing load growth projections that would have seemed implausible just five years ago. For example, as of last November, the Electric Reliability Corporation of Texas (ERCOT) reported that large loads seeking interconnection by 2030 would increase the peak demand served in ERCOT by 142 gigawatts, or nearly tripling its present-day demand.
https://www.utilitydive.com/spons/what-load-growth-demands-of-resource-planning/818035/
Rigzone: CenterPoint Targets 8 GW of Data Center Load in 3 Years
April 26 — CenterPoint Energy Inc on Thursday announced plans to energize 8 gigawatts (GW) of generation projects catered to data centers by 2029. The Houston, Texas-based power and gas utility said in its quarterly report it has 12.2 GW of firmly committed industrial load in Greater Houston.
https://www.rigzone.com/news/centerpoint_targets_8_gw_of_data_center_load_in_3_years-26-apr-2026-183533-article/
Fox26: Can Texas’ power grid handle the meteoric rise of AI data centers?
April 24 — Last week, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) presented a six-year forecast of how much power demand they expect in the near future. When the numbers showed a quadrupled peak demand by 2032, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) sent them back to the drawing board.
https://www.fox26houston.com/news/ai-data-centers-texas-power-grid
Business Insider: Big Tech’s AI data centers are pushing the power grid to its limits — and one state is feeling it the most
April 24 — Just last week, Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the Lone Star State’s grid operator, told state regulators that power demand is on track to quadruple by 2032, driven by an unprecedented surge in large data center projects seeking to connect to the grid.
https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-power-grid-demand-data-centers-2026-4
Utility Dive: CenterPoint to energize 8 GW of data center load by 2029
April 23 — Houston is now “firmly established as a location of choice for some of the world’s largest hyperscalers,” CenterPoint CEO Jason Wells said in the company’s first quarter earnings call.
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/centerpoint-energy-data-center-load-earnings/818293/
Denton Record-Chronicle: ERCOT says state’s energy demand is growing, but long-term forecast is likely overstated
April 23 — Officials with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas said last week that the state’s energy demand could reach nearly 368 gigawatts by 2032 — enough energy to power more than 73 million homes on a hot summer day or cold winter morning.
https://dentonrc.com/news/state/ercot-says-states-energy-demand-is-growing-but-long-term-forecast-is-likely-overstated/article_ec60419a-a352-4d84-9a72-a645830da07d.html
HillsboroReporter: Texas Data Center Boom Topic Of County Summit
April 23 — Moderated by Carlton Schwab, president of the Texas Economic Development Council, the question-and-answer session featured John Littlefield, president of Southwest Engineers; Larry McManus, from the Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism Division; and Eric Meier, supervisor of Planning Model Administration at ERCOT.
https://hillsbororeporter.com/texas-data-center-boom-topic-of-county-summit-p31596-54.htm
ABC 13 News: Two data centers proposed for Matagorda County, residents pushing back
April 23 — Data centers are large facilities filled with servers that store information people use every day on the internet, fueling AI and the digital data boom.
https://abc13.com/post/data-centers-proposed-matagorda-county-residents-pushing-back/18944946/
KHOU 11: NE Harris County community worried they’ll be left in the dark
April 23 —Residents in a northeast Harris County trailer home community said they’re worried about safety after receiving notice that their neighborhood’s street lights could soon go dark over an unpaid power bill.
https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/harris-county-community-no-lights/285-b8121f98-7985-4193-bc2d-3b1dc2120b01
Texas Standard: ERCOT forecast raises new questions about Texas power demand
April 22 — ERCOT says Texas electric demand could reach nearly 370,000 megawatts by 2032, quadrupling our current capacity. Much of the projected growth is tied to data centers, raising fresh questions about grid planning — including how many of those centers will actually be built.
https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/today-on-texas-standard-april-22-2026/
KCENTV: Salado residents pack meeting, urged to take action against proposed $2 billion transmission line project
April 22 — Dozens of Central Texans gathered to learn how to file as intervenors with the Public Utility Commission of Texas, a step that would give them a formal voice in the decision-making process for the project.
https://www.kcentv.com/article/news/local/salado-residents-meeting-urged-take-action-proposed-2-billion-transmission-line/500-a7341e98-64c1-41e5-ac9a-a3dc5a7ae242
Texarkana Gazette: Forecast for Texas electricity demand is being multiplied by data centers and crypto
April 21 — Recently, the existing tension between grid preparedness and aggressive projections has been laid bare by official estimates, with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas filing its newest long-term load forecast last week. The state’s grid operator predicted peak electricity demand surpassing 367 gigawatts by 2032 — more than four times the current all-time peak of 85,508 megawatts recorded in August 2023.
https://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2026/apr/21/forecast-for-texas-electricity-demand-is-being/
GAS UTILITY and RAILROAD COMMISSION NEWS
News4SA: Gas leaks top 1,500 across San Antonio area late 2025, experts cite aging infrastructure
May 6 — Two weeks after two homes were destroyed in an explosion on the Northeast Side that sent multiple people to the hospital, new data is raising questions about how often gas leaks are being reported across the region.
https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/gas-leaks-top-1500-across-san-antonio-area-late-2025-experts-cite-aging-infrastructure-texas-investigation-explosions-injuries-homes-preston-hollow-neighborhood-records-railroad-commission
KUT News: Despite anger over bills, Austin considers new contract with Texas Gas Service
May 7 — The Austin City Council is scheduled to vote Thursday on a plan to continue partnering with Texas Gas Service for another 10 years. That’s even though the council and residents have had plenty of complaints about the cost of the service being provided.
https://www.kut.org/austin/2026-05-07/austin-tx-city-council-new-contract-texas-gas-service
Austin American-Statesman: Austin weighs ‘once-in-a-generation’ Texas Gas deal as customers face rising bills
May 7 — The city’s gas rates have doubled since 2019. Some critics say leaders could do more to curb ballooning bills.
https://www.statesman.com/news/local/article/austin-texas-gas-deal-rising-bills-22243150.php
Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Anti-Muslim Railroad Commission candidate could tank Texas’ economy | Opinion
May 3 — Consider that the largest refinery in Texas is owned by Saudi Aramco, also known as the Saudi Arabian Oil Company. Rather than sell, the company could simply shut down the refinery, leading to a huge overnight increase in gasoline prices. Other businesses closing could lead to layoffs.
https://www.star-telegram.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article315581676.html
KSAT: Texas Railroad Commission GOP runoff: Who is running and what to know
April 28 — In the GOP runoff, incumbent Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright is pitching himself as a “proven advocate for Texas energy” who also values “high environmental and safety standards.” Meanwhile, challenger Bo French has cast himself as a “MAGA conservative” who wants “to give Trump the backing he needs” in the energy industry.
https://www.ksat.com/news/texas/2026/04/28/texas-railroad-commission-gop-runoff-who-is-running-and-what-to-know/
The Cool Down: Home explosion linked to decades-old plastic gas pipes that utility company was supposed to replace
April 25 — A doorbell camera captured a head-turning video of a gas explosion in North Texas, and the early investigation shows the blast may be linked to aging and faulty underground pipes.
https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/video-gas-explosion-north-texas/
Crossroads Today: Pipeline explosion in Edna kills one, injures two in Wednesday afternoon incident
April 23 — Jackson County Sheriff Rick Boone said the Railroad Commission of Texas and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the explosion.
https://www.crossroadstoday.com/news/local-news/pipeline-explosion-in-edna-kills-one-injures-two-in-wednesday-afternoon-incident/article_8ad00a23-1a9e-4117-9e2e-aa3b14f8b8db.html
NBC DFW: Lake Dallas home explosion investigation continues one month later
April 23— A newly released video shows the moment a home exploded in Lake Dallas, trapping a woman inside before neighbors rescued her.
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/lake-dallas-home-explosion-video/4014725/
KDFW: East Texas gas well fire near Etoile expected to burn for days After explosion
April 23 — A natural gas well fire sparked by an explosion in East Texas earlier this week could continue burning for several days as specialized crews work to bring it under control, local officials said.
https://www.fox4news.com/news/east-texas-gas-well-fire-etoile-expected-burn-days-after-explosion
TELECOM AND BROADBAND NEWS
Fierce Network: Court vacates former FCC’s rule on digital equity
May 7 — In the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, Congress tasked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with adopting rules to prevent digital discrimination of access to broadband by consumers. The prior FCC under Chair Jessica Rosenworcel sought comment on various ways the agency could implement the statute and adopted a rule accordingly.
https://www.fierce-network.com/broadband/court-vacates-former-fccs-rule-digital-equity
ARS Tecnica: Court strikes down FCC anti-discrimination rule opposed by Internet providers
May 6 — An appeals court today struck down federal rules that prohibit discrimination in access to broadband services, delivering a victory to telecom and cable lobby groups. The court ruling was welcomed by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, who voted against the Biden-era rules when they were approved in 2023.
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/court-strikes-down-fcc-anti-discrimination-rule-opposed-by-internet-providers/
KLBJ: Texas Leaders Push for Waiver on New Broadband Requirement for Camps
May 6 —The issue centers on a recently enacted camp safety law that requires licensed youth camps to maintain redundant internet capabilities, including fiber-optic broadband service, as part of expanded emergency preparedness standards adopted after last year’s deadly flooding disasters.
https://www.newsradioklbj.com/austinlocalnews/texas-leaders-push-for-waiver-on-new-broadband-requirement-for-camps/
Statescoop: Lawmakers consider bill featuring BEAD tracking mandate for Commerce Department
May 5 — The Accelerating Broadband Permits Act joins other federal measures aimed at tackling permitting frustrations plaguing the federal broadband program.
https://statescoop.com/bill-bead-broadband-tracking-mandate-commerce-dept/
Benton Institute: The FCC is Proposing Changes in How it Maps the Digital Divide
May 4 — For more than a decade, federal programs have relied on Federal Communications Commission (FCC) data to answer a deceptively simple question: who has broadband internet access and who does not? The answer determines where billions of dollars in federal infrastructure funding go. Getting it right matters enormously. Getting it wrong means money fails to reach places that need it most.
https://www.benton.org/blog/fcc-proposing-changes-how-it-maps-digital-divide
Fierce Network: Rethinking Broadband With AI and Automation
May 4 — As broadband services become increasingly commoditized, ISPs are facing mounting pressure to differentiate beyond speed and price. Customer experience is emerging as the key battleground. By leveraging AI-driven intelligence, service providers can gain real-time visibility into network performance and subscriber behavior, allowing them to anticipate issues before they impact users.
https://www.fierce-network.com/sponsored/rethinking-broadband-ai-and-automation
Inside Towers: BEAD Awardees Learn History
May 4 — This fall will mark the 5-year anniversary of the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which included a program meant to extend internet connectivity to all Americans through the BEAD initiative. During the last four years, state broadband officers have learned about many aspects of infrastructure deployment, including technology, financing and permitting. Now as the BEAD deployment dollars finally roll out, they’re getting an opportunity to learn about history. Not the history of broadband, but the histories of their own states.
https://insidetowers.com/bead-awardees-learn-history/
North Star Monthly: $42 Billion Rural Broadband Program Finally Moves Forward — With Major Questions Still Unresolved
May 2 — The BEAD program is now operational in most states, but billions in unallocated funding, rising costs, and permitting hurdles threaten to slow what was promised as a once-in-a-generation buildout.
https://www.northstarmonthly.com/under_the_same_north_star/42-billion-rural-broadband-program-finally-moves-forward-with-major-questions-still-unresolved/article_475c3698-0103-4277-b9f3-266651420a1f.html
Broadband Breakfast: FCC Proposes to Streamline Broadband Data Collection
May 1 — The commission is set to vote May 20 on proposed changes aimed at streamlining the reporting, audit, and challenge processes that underpin the map. The BDC collects data used to build the National Broadband Map.
https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fcc-proposes-to-streamline-broadband-data-collection/
Government Technology: What’s New in Digital Equity: Digital Access Hub for Veterans
April 30 — Plus, a regional partnership launched to expand digital inclusion in Washington, stakeholders have raised concerns about the impacts of the FCC’s proposed E-rate program bidding portal, and more.
https://www.govtech.com/network/whats-new-in-digital-equity-digital-access-hub-for-veterans
NewsWest9: Reeves County receives $15 million grant to expand broadband access
April 30 — Announced Tuesday by county officials, Reeves County has been awarded over $15 million to develop and enhance infrastructure supporting broadband connectivity in rural areas of the state. The award is a product of the Texas Middle Mile Program which aims to expand the the reach of high-speed internet access to rural communities. The county was reportedly one of only four entities to receive an award for the project.
https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/community/reeves-county-15-million-grant-expand-broadband-access/513-e4c9f1eb-bb11-4edc-ad94-8d3610f62426
Fast Company: We obtained nearly 1,000 complaints about SpaceX’s Starlink. Here’s what they reveal
April 29 — The complaints provide a view into how the technology has already evolved into a critical lifeline for some rural U.S. residents. They also provide insight into some of the leading issues that frustrate Starlink customers, including variant—and sometimes disappointing—internet speeds, as well as poor customer service.
https://www.fastcompany.com/91532281/spacex-starlink-fcc-complaints
Permian Proud: Reeves County awarded $15.4M state grant for fiber infrastructure
April 29 —Reeves County received a $15,442,296 grant from the Texas Middle Mile Program to build new broadband infrastructure, according to county officials.
https://permianproud.com/community/reeves-county-awarded-15-4m-state-grant-for-fiber-infrastructure/
Foundation for Defense of Democracies: Data Centers, Telecommunications Networks, and Space-Based Systems
April 29 —The subject of this hearing is timely. Our nation is under attack in cyberspace. Our adversaries increasingly see this as a U.S. vulnerability, and China specifically is conducting “operational preparation of the battlefield” activities as well as espionage and intellectual property theft against our companies and critical infrastructure. At the same time, we appear to be reducing our investments in cyber defense.
https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/04/29/data-centers-telecommunications-networks-and-space-based-systems/
KMID: Reeves County secures $15M for broadband infrastructure
April 28 — The Reeves County project represents a total investment of approximately $19.8 million and will support the development of 84.5 miles of open-access, high-capacity fiber infrastructure to address longstanding connectivity gaps in one of the most underserved regions of West Texas.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/reeves-county-secures-15m-broadband-025139248.html
League of Minnesota Cities: House Pulls Broadband Permitting Bill After Local Government Opposition
April 27 — In addition to the League, the coordinated efforts included the National League of Cities, National Association of Counties, U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors.
https://www.lmc.org/news-publications/news/all/federal-update-house-pulls-broadband-permitting-bill-after-local-government-opposition/
Fierce Network: SpaceX doesn’t always get what it wants at the FCC
April 24 — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Thursday denied requests by multiple satellite companies – including SpaceX – for access to spectrum, saying it’s all about enabling the direct-to-device (D2D) market to flourish.
https://www.fierce-network.com/wireless/spacex-doesnt-always-get-what-it-wants-fcc
Broadband Breakfast: Local Orgs Happy to See Broadband Permitting Bill Stalled
April 24 — Local organizations were pleased to see a broadband permitting bill pulled from consideration on the House floor earlier this week.
https://broadbandbreakfast.com/local-orgs-happy-to-see-broadband-permitting-bill-stalled/
San Angelo Live: PASSED: Pfluger’s Federal Broadband Deployment Act Passed Unanimously in the House
April 23 — Congressman August Pfluger’s (TX-11) Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act was unanimously passed through the U.S. House of Representatives, marking his 11th bill to pass the House this term and a major step forward for improving transparency and efficiency in the broadband deployment process, and helping close the digital divide for rural Americans.
https://sanangelolive.com/news/politics/2026-04-23/passed-pflugers-federal-broadband-deployment-act-passed-unanimously-house#google_vignette
Odessa American: Pfluger’s Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act passed unanimously in the House
April 23 — Pfluger’s bipartisan Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to submit a comprehensive plan to Congress within 180 days detailing how the agency will track permit applications for deploying broadband on federal lands. This will streamline projects to expand broadband access and help close the digital divide for communities in rural America.
https://www.oaoa.com/local-news/government/pflugers-federal-broadband-deployment-tracking-act-passed-unanimously-in-the-house/#google_vignette
Rio Grande Guardian: Brownsville is creating the framework for greater regional connectivity
April 23 — The City of Brownsville developed a public-private partnership with Omni Fiber. The private company provides what is termed the Last Mile of service. The funding from the Texas Broadband Development Office will help with the city’s Middle Mile program.
https://riograndeguardian.com/stories/guard-brownsville-is-creating-the-framework-for-greater-regional-connectivity,66705
NBC 23: Pharr approves fiber optic ordinance for new buildings, internet providers speak out
April 23 — On April 20, the city commissioners unanimously approved the existing fiber-optic ordinance. According to the city agenda, the commissioners believe modern fiber optics are a needed public utility, which will support economic development, emergency response and education.
https://www.valleycentral.com/news/local-news/pharr-approves-fiber-optic-ordinance-for-new-buildings-internet-providers-speak-out/
Pots & Pans: The Push for Permitting Reform
April 17 — The bill first started with the goal of making it easier to get permits for BEAD and other federally grant-funded projects, but the bill has grown to encompass all local and state permitting for telecommunications infrastructure.
https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2026/04/27/the-push-for-permitting-reform/