CPUC Invests More Than $6 Million to Close the Digital Divide in Rural and Tribal Communities

In a continued effort to support California’s Broadband For All initiative, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today acted on grant funding of more than $6 million to enhance high-speed internet access in tribal and rural communities.

Details of today’s awards are as follows:

Round Valley Indian Tribes’ (RVIT) Fiber to the Home Project

• Grant Amount: Up to $723,000 with an additional $277,000 in Tribal Technical Assistance
• Funding Source: Local Agency Technical Assistance (LATA) and Tribal Technical Assistance (TTA)
• Impact: This initiative lays the foundation for a state-of-the-art Fiber to the Home network to provide enhanced connectivity, improved internet speeds, and increased accessibility.

“I appreciate that these grants will help achieve the goal of Broadband for All by extending high-speed access to underserved communities,” said CPUC Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma.

“This grant represents a significant step forward in our efforts to ensure reliable and affordable broadband access for the Citizens of the Round Valley Indian Tribal Community and the surrounding community,” said RVIT Tribal Chairman Lewis Whipple. “With the support of this grant, we are now better equipped to take control of our broadband infrastructure and make it more accessible to our people.”

Today’s grant funding brings the total allocated to Round Valley Tribes to $1 million to help bring internet access to tribal communities.

Long Valley-Spring Garden Project

• Grant Amount: Releases grant funding approved in December 2021 of up to $5 million, following today’s approval of the project’s exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act.
• Funding Source: California Advanced Services Fund
• Impact: This project will provide broadband access at speeds of up to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload covering approximately 1.37 square miles in Cromberg, Spring Garden, and the Greenhorn Ranch community areas of Plumas County.

CPUC Final LATA Award – A Milestone in Broadband Expansion

Today’s announcement marks the final LATA award, in concert with TTA program funding, utilizing the entire $50 million program allocation. Launched in 2022, the LATA grants supported tribes and local governments in expanding broadband services to unserved Californians. This funding, including a $5 million set-aside for tribes, facilitated high-speed broadband infrastructure projects. These grants empower local governments to develop, design, and build networks, contributing to scalable, future-proof public broadband. This milestone is a game-changer in addressing the digital divide in California, advancing the goal of Broadband For All.

“I am pleased that with this decision the CPUC will have successfully distributed all of the funds set aside by the Legislature for tribes to help achieve the State’s goal of digital equity for all,” said Commissioner Shiroma.

The LATA program awarded 97 LATA applications, all of which can be found on the CPUC’s LATA website.

Prior grants issued under the LATA Tribal set-aside include:

While today’s actions exhaust the remaining LATA funding, California Tribal Nations can continue to access the LATA program, which provides grants for market studies, feasibility studies, business plans and the like in support of broadband infrastructure deployment.

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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.