California Public Utilities Commission Approves Over $18.2 Million for Broadband Infrastructure, Regional Planning, and Digital Inclusion Projects

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved more than $18.2 million in support of broadband infrastructure deployment, regional broadband planning efforts, and digital equity and inclusion programs that will expand connectivity and digital opportunity for Californians across the state. The CPUC approved nearly $14.7 million in California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) Broadband Infrastructure Grant Account funding for four fiber-optic broadband projects in rural Northern California, $3.4 million in CASF Rural and Urban Regional Broadband Consortia grants supporting broadband planning and coordination efforts across 16 counties, and nearly $200,000 in Digital Divide Grant Program funding to expand access to technology, devices, and digital literacy training in underserved communities.  Approved projects include:

• Grizzly Road-Chilcoot Project (Plumas County): Up to $4,339,234 to connect 205 unserved locations in and around Beckwourth, Chilcoot, Portola, and Vinton.
• Herlong Flats-East Milford Project (Lassen County): Up to $3,890,942 to connect 72 unserved locations in and around Herlong and Milford.
• Mohawk Meadows Project (Plumas County): Up to $3,378,259 to connect 83 unserved locations in communities including Blairsden, Greenhorn, Johnsville, Keddie, Mabie, and Whitehawk.
• Sierraville Project (Sierra County): Up to $3,072,297 to connect 100 unserved locations in and around Sierraville.
• Broadband Consortium of the Pacific Coast: $600,000 serving San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.
• East Bay Broadband Consortium: $600,000 serving Alameda, Contra Costa, and Solano counties.
• E = mc² Silicon Valley Consortium: $400,000 serving San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties.
• Gold Country Broadband Consortium: $600,000 serving El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, and Sierra counties.
• Inyo-Mono Broadband Consortium: $600,000 serving Inyo and Mono counties.
• Los Angeles Digital Equity Action League (LA DEAL) Consortium: $600,000 serving Los Angeles County.
• Human-I-T: $99,659 to provide digital literacy support and Chromebook devices to 257 students attending the Delano and Lost Hills campuses of Wonderful College Prep Academy in Kern County.
• United We Lead Foundation: $50,000 for the Digital Empowerment for Parents and Caregivers project in Fresno County, providing digital literacy training, technical support, and laptop devices to 50 low-income parents and caregivers.
• Education and Leadership Foundation: $50,000 to provide computer literacy and cybersecurity training to 25 adult learners in the Central Valley, including access to laptops, wireless internet hotspots, and digital skills instruction.