During a call with Kentucky city leaders on Wednesday, Governor Andy Beshear said that current mapping efforts should identify unserved and underserved areas regarding broadband services.

The Kentucky General Assembly allocated $300 million for broadband infrastructure during this year’s session, $50 million of which will be spent before the end of this fiscal year. Budget Director John Chilton reported that his office is working on a request for proposals (RFP). They seek to identify areas eligible for the funding with a minimum 50% match from either private sector providers or local governments.

According to Governor Beshear and Director Chilton, officials will combine the needs-based map with both a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) map and another showing where federal dollars have already been spent.

“We’re taking the FCC map, we’re taking the speed test map, and we’re trying to create the best map that we then put out for comment including to county judges and mayors about the unserved and underserved areas,” Governor Beshear explained.

State officials have not indicated when the broadband needs map will be completed, but Director Chilton told city officials that his office would work at getting the completed FCC map to them.