CPUC Approves Broadband Grant for Project in San Benito County, Advancing Efforts To Bridge the Digital Divide
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today continued its ongoing efforts to bridge the digital divide with approval of a $1.78 million grant from the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) Line Extension Program to South Valley Internet, Inc./LCB Communications, making a substantial investment in enhanced connectivity.
The approved grant will fund the Southside Road Project in San Benito County, a vital endeavor that will provide high-speed internet service at remarkable speeds of 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) for both download and upload to Southside Road Labor Camp, Hollister Migrant Housing Center, and Southside Mobile Park. This initiative will transform connectivity for 194 households, serving a total of 740 residents, among them 130 school-aged children.
The Southside Project involves the deployment of approximately 3,500 feet of distribution fiber and 18,000 feet of fiber drop cables. It promises seamless service delivery via wireline connections, utilizing both fiber and wired ethernet technologies to ensure accessibility across all locations.
“I appreciate the progress being made in providing reliable internet access to critical health services and online schooling in communities of low-income and very low-income farmworkers and people transitioning into the workforce,” said Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma.
“I am pleased to support this grant that will provide broadband infrastructure funding as well as training and long-term support for nearly 200 low-income households in San Benito County,” said Commissioner Darcie L. Houck. “These grants are an important step in accomplishing our shared goal to close the digital divide so that every person and every child has access to broadband service to help reach their full potential.”
Assembly Bill (AB) 1665 (Garcia, Chapter 851, Statutes of 2017) created the Line Extension Program under the CASF Broadband Infrastructure Grant Account. This innovative pilot project empowers individual households and property owners to apply for infrastructure grants, offsetting the costs of connecting to existing or proposed facility-based broadband providers. AB 1665 also authorized the CPUC to allocate up to $5 million in grants, supporting the effort to connect to broadband providers.
With the Southside Road Project grant approval, the CPUC builds on its commitment to expanding connectivity opportunities. Prior to this announcement, the CPUC had already greenlit three projects, collectively exceeding $300,000 in funding.
The proposal voted on is available here.
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About the California Public Utilities Commission
The CPUC regulates services and utilities, protects consumers, safeguards the environment, and assures Californians access to safe and reliable utility infrastructure and services. Visit www.cpuc.ca.gov for more information.