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State Legislature Passes Broadband Stimulus Bill04:10PM / Tuesday, July 14, 2009
BOSTON — The state Legislature on Tuesday passed important legislation enabling the state to take full advantage of some $7.2 billion in federal stimulus funds authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for broadband deployment initiatives.
The funding is particularly important to efforts to expand broadband in the many underserved areas in Western Mass., according to information provided by Rep. Denis E. Guyer, D-Dalton, and Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield.
"An Act Relating to Economic Recovery Through Broadband Initiatives in Massachusetts expands on the work the Legislature did last session with the broadband bill that provided $40 million to expand and improve Internet access in unserved and underserved communities, many of which lie within my district," said Guyer, whose crescent-shaped district stretches through the region's hilltowns and farmlands from the Vermont to the New York borders.
Downing, a major proponent of 2008 legislation that established the Massachusetts Broadband Institute, helped to shepherd this stimulus-related proposal through the Senate on Tuesday. The federal funding could double the amount the institute has to work with.
"Passage of this legislation puts Massachusetts in a solid position to gain access to federal funds that will assist MBI with its mission," he said. "Today, reliable broadband service is not considered a luxury — it is a necessity for continued economic development, engaging educational opportunities, higher property values and advanced public safety initiatives.
"Pairing available federal funds with state bond monies will further our efforts to ensure all currently unserved and underserved communities will soon be plugged-in to a reliable high speed Internet connection."
The MBI is tasked with extending affordable high-speed Internet access to all homes, businesses, schools, libraries, medical facilities, government offices and other public places across the state, focusing first on unserved areas. Those areas are primarily in the western and southeast ends of the state.
Unserved areas (red) and underserved (orange) are primarily in Western Mass. |
Downing represents 48 communities in Western Mass., 22 of which are unserved — or completely without access to broadband — as well an additional 15 towns with only partial access to high-speed Internet.
Guyer said the legislation makes a number of changes to meet the federal requirements to put the funds to work "bridging the technology gap so many in Western Massachusetts are faced with."
"In addition to allowing money the Legislature had previously set aside for expanding broadband services, it also makes a crucial project to install fiber-optic lines under the newly reconstructed I-91, an important stepping stone to bringing first-class internet services to Western Massaschusetts," he said.
The broadband stimulus bill is largely a technical proposal with four main components:
■ Authorization for the MBI to use its fund to acquire indefeasible rights of uses of fiber facilities and Federal Communication Commission licenses.
■ Clarification that petitions relative to the zoning of a communications or cable facility will be reviewed by the Department of Telecommunications and Cable and petitions relative to all other types of public service facilities will be reviewed by the Department of Public Utilities.
■ Clarification that the MBI may be exempt from local zoning bylaws or ordinances so long as the MBI is acting within the confines of its essential government functions.
■ Authorization of a transfer of MassHighway property to the MBI to enable certain broadband initiatives along the I-91 corridor.
Information and updates from the MBI is available at www.massbroadband.org. |
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