The November Lunch & Learn webinar featured Tim Miles, Technology Director for Steamboat and South Routt Schools. He discussed how Steamboat Schools has become involved in three broadband consortia to better internet connectivity for itself, its close neighbors, others on the broadband path, and its peers throughout Colorado. Tim talked about the three consortia:
On Friday Nov. 5, Congress passed the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which includes $65 billion to ensure all Americans have access to reliable, affordable broadband. See the White House Fact Sheet for more information about the IIJA.
Funding Programs:
The October Lunch & Learn featured Corey Bryndal from Region 10. Region 10 leverages resources to help build strong communities, and in this session we learned how they advance connectivity for Delta, Montrose, Hinsdale, Gunnison, Ouray and San Miguel counties through senior services, small-business services and regional development support. The Region 10 broadband project encompasses over 600 miles of fiber and 16 carrier-neutral locations.
The Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) was provided $5,000,000 in American Rescue Plan funds during the last Colorado legislative session under HB21-1289. While waiting for federal guidance on provisions related to use of these funds, DOLA would like to gauge interest from government entities across the state. If you represent a local or regional government, please fill out the Broadband Middle Mile Interconnectivity Interest Survey.
The September Lunch & Learn webinar featured Josh Cramer, Network Architect for Trailblazer Broadband in Estes Park. He shared Estes Park's story of starting up a municipal broadband utility from scratch, establishing a multi-municipality wide area network in the Front Range, and maintaining upstream connectivity in a mountain town through a variety of natural disasters.
The August Lunch & Learn webinar featured Bob Fifer from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) with an update about the work CDOT is doing around the state to support broadband infrastructure.
Today the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the award of a $10.5 million grant to Delta Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network in rural Colorado. The funded service area includes 2,410 households, 6,877 people, three educational facilities, 89 businesses and 115 farms spread over 126 square miles.
Read the USDA Press Release
The recording is now available for the July 30 Lunch & Learn webinar on Federal funding programs for deployment and adoption. The webinar featured Teresa Ferguson, Director of Federal Broadband Engagement, discussing the broadband funding programs federal agencies are rapidly launching to expand broadband deployment and adoption, as a result of federal stimulus funding, and how the federal infrastructure bill could impact the future of broadband availability in Colorado.
On July 19, the Broadband Advisory Board announced the release of its inaugural annual report, highlighting its first six months and priorities for the year ahead as it works to bring fast, reliable and affordable broadband service to all Coloradans.
The CBO had a monumental legislative year! Three major pieces of legislation will impact the structure and funding of broadband support from the state—HB21-1109, HB21-1289 and SB21-060—and a few additional bills had components that touch on broadband. Full details on each bill can be found here.