LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — On Thursday, the California Public Utilities Commission approved $48 million for eight broadband infrastructure projects — including three in Lake County — as part of the multi-year $2 billion Last Mile Federal Funding Account grant program, which expands broadband internet access for underserved and unserved communities across California.

The CPUC said the Last Mile Federal Funding Account “highlights the state’s commitment to bridging the digital divide through Broadband For All.”

The proposed projects will serve predominantly disadvantaged and low-income communities across the state.

The Last Mile Federal Funding Account broadband infrastructure grants the CPUC awarded on Thursday include $15 million for three projects in Lake County, benefitting 7,000 residents; $17 million for three projects in Fresno County, benefiting approximately 13,000 individuals; and $17 million for two projects in Sonoma County, benefiting approximately 2,100 Californians.

In Lake County, two of the projects are proposed by AT&T around Hidden Valley Lake and Mount Hannah in the south county, and the third by Mediacom, which will have sites near Clearlake, Clearlake Oaks, Kelseyville and Lakeport, according to the grant documents.

The companies submitted the grant applications in September of 2023.

The commission is awarding $2,218,869, or 68% of the cost, for AT&T’s Lake-1 project, which will serve 620 unserved locations and offer service to a total population of 3,073. It will provide up to 5,000/5,000 Mbps service to consumers and include the deployment of 103 miles of last-mile fiber. The project’s network infrastructure will be 12% underground and 88% aerial.

AT&T’s second project, Lake-1E, will receive up to $4 million of the total project cost of $5,906,345. It will serve 504 unserved locations and benefit an estimated population of 1,671. The project also will provide up to 5,000/5,000 Mbps service to consumers. It will include the deployment of 60 miles of last-mile fiber, with 20 percent of the infrastructure underground and 80 percent aerial.

The third grant award of up to $8,429,712 goes to Mediacom’s Lake County Grant Build project, which proposes to serve an estimated 1,037 unserved locations and benefit up to 2,249 residents. It will provide up to 2,000/1,000 Mbps service to consumers and deploy approximately 50 miles of last-mile fiber and 35 miles of middle mile fiber. The network infrastructure will be 14 percent underground and 86 percent aerial.

“We are putting these funds to work, generating quality jobs, bolstering our economy, and building fast, reliable, and affordable broadband infrastructure,” said CPUC President Alice Reynolds.

“Due to historical underinvestment, many communities across California lack access to fast, reliable, and reasonably priced broadband service, which is now a necessity to fully participate in work, school, and daily life,” said Commissioner Darcie L. Houck. “These Federal Funding Account grants represent another step in alleviating this historical disparity by closing the digital divide and providing Broadband for All Californians. I look forward to seeing the benefits of these investments that will provide opportunities for many generations to come in Sonoma, Fresno, and Lake counties.”

Currently, the total amount in Federal Funding Account grants awarded is over $1 billion for projects in 51 counties, with $550 million set to be appropriated to the Last Mile program in the 2027-28 state budget.

The CPUC did not say if the funding is in any jeopardy due to actions by the Trump Administration.

Established under Senate Bill 156 (2021), the CPUC said its Last Mile Federal Funding Account is fueling economic growth across rural, tribal, and urban communities statewide.

Thursday’s approval is part of a process to award last mile broadband grants to projects in every region in the state to established internet service providers, small providers, local governments, tribes and special districts.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, and on Bluesky, @erlarson.bsky.social. Find Lake County News on the following platforms: Facebook, @LakeCoNews; X, @LakeCoNews; Threads, @lakeconews, and on Bluesky, @lakeconews.bsky.social.