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All aboard on Digital 395 project |
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Tuesday, 22 December 2009 |
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By Mike Gervais
Register Staff
12-22-2009 Faster Internet access throughout the Sierra is just around the corner thanks to hard work from county staff and state agencies working on the Digital 395 Project.
With a conditional grant of $19,294,717 approved from
the California Public Utilities Commission to bridge the digital divide separating Inyo, Kern and Mono counties from Southern California the Inyo County Board of Supervisors recently sent several letters of support for the project to CPUC commissioners.
The Digital 395 Project would consist of a 448 mile, 10 gigabit high-capacity fiber optic middle mile/backhaul route along U.S. 395 from Barstow to Topaz Lake at the Nevada state line to bring high-speed Internet broadband to underserved communities and anchor institutions in Mono, Inyo, eastern Kern and northwest San Bernardino Counties of California’s eastern Sierra region.
Various board members and county staffers compiled a list of interest parties who provided a “non-binding statement of interest in the broadband services, products that will be provided by the Digital 395 project through California Broadband Cooperative.
According to Information Services Director Brandon Shults “the purpose of the letter is to demonstrate to federal agencies considering the Digital 395 Project grant application that there is a service need that will be met by the project, as well as a reasonable revenue stream to sustain the project into the future.”
Among the agencies that signed on to the letter are the Bishop Senior Center, Inyo County Probation, the Inyo County WIC program, the Bishop Airport, county libraries and many more.
In total 32 county departments and/or facilities signed onto the letter.
Also, Second District Supervisor Susan Cash reported, the City of Bishop drafted its own letter to the California Broadband Cooperative as well as the Bishop Police Department and Northern Inyo Hospital.
“This letter of interest does not constitute an order for service or in any way represent a bona fide request for broadband services,” the letter states, making it clear that those who signed on are expressing nothing more than an interest in the program.
In another letter to the California Broadband Cooperative, the board identified some uses Inyo County might find for the improved broadband access.
“The Digital 395 Project grant application is in the midst of the federal review process,” Shults said. “The grant applicant, California Broadband Cooperative, has requested that the counties of Inyo, Mono and Kern provide letters identifying the types and value of the in-kind contributions each county may be willing to make in support of $337,400 in local in-kind support identified in the $80 million grant application.”
In its letter, the board said that, through staff time, long-term leases and equipment storage during construction, the county can contribute approximately $371,542 to the cause.
“In addition the county may be in a position to make other contributions as needs are identified, or as otherwise maybe necessary to help ensure the matching requirements for the project,” the letter states.
All five board members expressed gratitude that the Digital 395 Project is moving forward and thanked Shults for his efforts on the project.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 14 January 2010 )
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