Washington broadband projects get $44M boost from state
Washington – The Public Works Board of Washington approved more than $44.6 million in grants for 15 broadband construction projects in unserved and underserved communities on December 3.
Applicants requested more than $90 million for 29 different projects, and the board approved qualified projects until all available program funds were exhausted. Demand exceeded available funds by 209 percent.
Projects awarded conditional funding are:
- Pacific County PUD – Pacific County Broadband Build Bay City to Nemah, $5 million.
- Port of Coupeville – Central Whidbey Fiber to the x (FTTx), $4.84 million.
- Lewis County PUD Connecting Mineral, Elbe and Ashford communities, $4.73 million, and Connecting the Greater Vader Community, $4.72 million.
- Clallam County – Clallam County Broadband Project, $4.5 million.
- Lincoln County – Connecting Lincoln County, $4.16 million.
- Port of Garfield, Northeast Garfield County, Rural Fiber to the Home (FTTH) Project, $3.82 million.
- Kittitas County – Kittitas County Thorp and Edgemont FTTx Project, $3.34 million.
- Port of Skagit – Fir Island FTTx, $2.15 million.
- Port of Clarkston Census Tract 9604 FTTH Broadband Project, $1.94 million and Grantham Elementary Service Area FTTH Broadband Project, $1.77 million.
- Port of Columbia – Touchet Valley Broadband, $1.16 million.
- Jefferson County – Discovery Bay East Fiber Project, $1.09 million.
- Town of Washtucna – Fiber to the premise, $788,946.
- Town of Skykomish – Skykomish broadband, $598,023.
Funding announced on December 3 is part of the 2021 State Legislature’s infrastructure investment of the federal Coronavirus Capital Project Fund. It continues the Legislature’s commitment to connect communities with little or no reliable, affordable broadband service. Awards are conditional on the receipt of federal funds.
The board will open an application cycle for $13 million in state funded broadband construction loans in spring 2022.