Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) is joining with Vermont’s Congressional Delegation to call on the FCC to push back its deadline for challenges to its map and release the $100 million state minimum immediately.
Who: Congressman Peter Welch, representatives from the offices of Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Patrick Leahy, state, and local officials
When: Wednesday, December, 21, 2022 at 2:00 p.m.
Where: Little Red Schoolhouse, 35 Barber Road, St. George, VT
VCBB and the Delegation are asking for a thirty-day extension to the current challenge deadline. This would give Vermonters more time to challenge incorrect information as more locations are added to the map. 22% of addresses in Vermont’s Public Service Department database didn’t appear on the FCC Map. There are also many addresses that are marked served that are actually not served and/or have poor service. This could have significant impact on the amount of funding that Vermont receives.
The request includes that the NTIA release the state minimum of $100 million as soon as possible. The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program provides each state will receive a minimum of $100 million to fund the construction of high-speed internet access. An additional $37.1 billion is then distributed to states based on the total number of unserved locations.
“We believe there are up to 20,000 Vermont addresses reported inaccurately on the FCC Map. Each address we correct could mean $4,000 to $5,000 in additional federal funding for Vermont. That adds up to tens of millions of dollars to help Vermonters get connected and at a more affordable cost,” said VCBB Executive Director Christine Hallquist. “We’re hoping to get as much of that additional money as possible, but there is no reason to hold the $100 million minimum hostage during the map-challenge process.”
12.19.2022. St. George, Vermont – Vermont Department of Public Service