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Last Mile Federal Funding Account Grant Program Stakeholders,
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued the fifth round of recommended last mile broadband project awards for public comment on Thursday, August 8, 2024.
This fifth set of recommended awards is part of the $2 billion last mile Federal Funding Account Grant Program. The program expands broadband internet access for underserved and unserved communities across California. This announcement continues a rolling process of awards and recommendations, highlighting the state’s commitment to bridging the digital divide through Broadband For All.
The recommended grant awards are for $91 million for 10 last mile Federal Funding Account broadband infrastructure projects in the 5 counties of Marin, Mendocino, San Benito, Santa Cruz, and Sutter benefitting an estimated 32,000 Californians in these counties. The recommendations include a grant to the Round Valley Indian Tribes. Find more details in Draft Resolution T-17839.
With this release, the CPUC has issued —
- Awards of $105.3 million for 14 projects in 6 counties benefitting approximately 196,800 Californians to date. All 14 awards are to public entity applicants and 9 benefit primarily disadvantaged or low-income communities. (See Resolutions T-17826 and T-17829, and ministerial approvals.)
- Recommended awards out for public comment of $329.5 million for 32 projects in 16 counties benefiting approximately 448,100 Californians. Fourteen of the recommended awards are public entity applicants and 21 benefit primarily disadvantaged or low-income communities. These recommended awards can be voted on by the CPUC at its upcoming public voting meetings on August 22, 2024 and September 12, 2024. (See Resolutions T-17833, T-17835, and T-17839).
- The total amount awarded and recommended for awards is now at $434.8 million for 46 projects in 22 counties benefitting approximately 645,000 Californians.
Draft Resolutions with award recommendations will be released for public comment approximately every two to three weeks through the rest of the year. These recommendations will be considered and must be approved by vote of the CPUC’s Commissioners at a public voting meeting.
Please visit the Federal Funding Account Recommendations and Awards webpage for information on how to file public comments, and for news and updates on past, present, and future awards.
Thank you for your continued commitment to closing the digital divide in California.
Federal Funding Account Team
California Public Utilities Commission
FederalFundingAccount@cpuc.ca.gov
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