The federal government has suspended a grant funding a statewide project to install 4,600 miles of fiber-optic line to improve rural broadband service, officials said Friday.

Federal officials made their move after concerns were raised about whether the EAGLE-Net Alliance had adequately consulted with the State Historic Preservation Office as well as American Indian tribes.

It also may have built infrastructure in areas not considered in an environmental assessment it submitted to the government.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration suspended the grant to EAGLE-Net Alliance this week, halting its construction activities.

The federal agency told EAGLE-Net in a letter Thursday that it was taking action because the group failed to consult with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The suspension requires EAGLE-Net to "cease all project deployment immediately," the letter reads.

EAGLE-Net was established to offer better connectivity and faster Internet speeds for school districts, libraries, government agencies, emergency services and health care facilities. The group received $100 million in federal funding and another $30 million that it raised