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Lake County among counties to benefit from CPUC-funded broadband projects
The projects, funded Dec. 1, are joint efforts by the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC) and the Center for Economic Development at California State University, Chico (CED, CSU Chico), the Northeastern California Connect Consortium (NECCC) and the Upstate California Connect Consortium (UCCC). They received $449,991 and $448,184, respectively, over a period of three years.
The counties within the scope of the NECCC are Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou and Tehama. The counties within the scope of the UCCC are Colusa, Glenn, Lake and Sonoma.
"There is a deep awareness at the highest level in California of the importance of broadband availability and adoption to the state's historic global position of economic and technology leadership," said Tom West, manager for the two consortia. "These two funding decisions speak volumes of the state's commitment to ensuring that California remains a global leader in all areas of 21st century life."
Kelly Cox, Lake County’s administrative officer, added, "This grant will enable us to develop a much-needed comprehensive broadband plan for our county. Such a plan will enable us to pursue providers and funds to effectively implement broadband for our citizens and help us advance the county's economic development plans."
Both the NECCC and the UCCC reported that they will work with other consortia as part of a comprehensive Northern California Broadband Plan to set the stage for a robust, integrated, and open-access fiber-optic middle-mile – and combination fiber-optic and wireless last-mile – infrastructure throughout the 11 counties listed in addition to Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Trinity and Yolo counties.
Many of these counties are rural with rugged terrain as well as relatively low population, all of which pose great challenges to the construction of such an infrastructure over which broadband services can be delivered.
As a result, the counties in the projects’ areas currently lack the broadband services that are an essential part of a healthy economy and a good quality of life in the 21st century, and which are already enjoyed in other regions of the state, according to the report from the sponsoring organizations.
The NECCC and UCCC both consist of a multi-phase, three-year planning effort.
During the first year, the two consortia will concentrate on developing and designing the 16-county Regional Middle-Mile infrastructure, as well as 11 countywide backbone systems and last-mile community plans.
The NECCC and the UCCC then will facilitate the implementation of these infrastructure plans as well as developing and implementing adoption and training programs to ensure that every citizen has the opportunity to effectively use these capabilities.
"Developing and implementing a broadband plan for Northern California will help fuel the economies of counties like Modoc by enabling us to attract investment capital to make local resources and products available to consumers across the state and nation," said Chester Robertson, chief administrative officer of Modoc County and member of NECCC.
Consortia Associate Manager Cathy Emerson of CED is passionate about giving the rural communities a collective voice.
"I learned that the northern counties want action, not more studies, and that someone was needed to guide a process, not tell them what to do or how to do it,” Emerson said. “These consortia are intended to include people from all aspects of the region, and based on the membership pledges and letters of support we are receiving, I'd say that's what we have: a group of dedicated, committed individuals who at the end of the day can say they not only were a part of something, they actually affected change, and to the collective benefit of the whole region."
More information about the NECCC and the UCCC can be found at www.necalbroadband.org and www.upcalbroadband.org. Visit the Center for Economic Development at www.cedcal.com.
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