2023 Nov 20 Support letter Federal Funding Account Last-Mile Grant Applications

November 20, 2023

California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 954102

Re: Federal Funding Account Last-Mile Grant Applications

Dear Members of the California Public Utilities Commission,

On behalf of the Marin County Board of Supervisors, I am writing to express my support for the application submitted by the County of Marin government for the Federal Funding Account (FFA) last mile funding opportunity—Marin Coastal Hwy 1, Plan ID 1283. This application aligns closely with the overarching goals of providing equitable access to essential broadband services. This vision is embedded in state legislation and policy, such as Senate Bill 156 and Assembly Bill 414. The County’s application also incorporates local considerations that align with our Broadband Strategic Plan.

Our County has been deeply invested in taking every opportunity to advance our digital equity and broadband inclusion goals. Of note, in his capacity as the Oversight Committee Chair of the North Bay North Coast Broadband Consortium, Supervisor Dennis Rodoni has worked extensively to ensure improved broadband access in Marin’s local communities. The County’s FFA last mile application illustrates this commitment, which is one shared by the entire Board. While the application's merits are evident, we would like to highlight several critical reasons for the County’s support.

First and foremost, the County’s application effectively leverages the statewide middle-mile infrastructure. This approach optimizes the use of public resources and ensures that the benefits of open-access broadband infrastructure efficiently reach as many households and businesses as possible. By doing so, we amplify the impact of our joint investments and work towards equitably closing the digital divide that persists in our region. During recent conversations, the large internet service providers in our area explicitly stated that they do not intend to connect their publicly funded last-mile networks to the statewide middle-mile network. This approach is reflected in project applications for FFA last-mile funding. Ultimately, awarding them the use of public funds through FFA subsidizes an expansion of their privately owned monopolies and oligopolies.

Furthermore, the County’s application promotes competition through an open-access network model. This approach fosters an environment where multiple companies can provide similar internet services over shared infrastructure, resulting in a diverse range of options for our residents and businesses. Competition not only drives innovation but also contributes to more affordable and higher-quality broadband services, a vital aspect of our mission to make broadband accessible to all. Marin County residents continue to express frustration with the lack of options and the high cost of internet services in their area. Like the reasons outlined above, private, for-profit internet service providers do not intend to develop infrastructure that promotes competition in the internet service marketplace. We urge the CPUC to prioritize applications that foster competition and take advantage of the state’s investment in open-access middle-mile infrastructure.

Beyond noting the reasons above, which demonstrate that the County’s project model is in the spirit of state legislation, goals, and priorities, areas have been identified for objection to private provider applications. We encourage you to consider the objections submitted by Marin County and the comments submitted by the North Bay North Coast Broadband Consortium on the FFA objection portal for private provider applications in Marin County.

Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to seeing these vital projects come to fruition and work to close the digital divide in our community.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Moulton-Peters, President
Marin County Board of Supervisors

Cc: Marin County Board of Supervisors