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Regional broadband plan is interim as Public Service Commission funding rounds continue
Summary
Northwest Regional Planning Commission told the Sawyer County committee the regional broadband plan is interim after the Public Service Commission’s initial funding round; the commission received a six-month extension to update the plan as PSC rounds 2 and 3 proceed.
Sheldon Johnson of the Northwest Regional Planning Commission updated the Sawyer County Economic Development UW Extension Committee on the regional broadband planning process and the Public Service Commission (PSC) funding rounds.
The update matters because the PSC’s broadband funding decisions will direct where fiber and other internet infrastructure will be built; local resolutions and engagement can affect ISP applications and scoring. Johnson said the regional plan is interim while PSC rounds proceed and that a six-month extension was requested to allow updates when PSC maps and awards are released.
Johnson said Visions Northwest received PSC funding to support the regional plan covering nine counties and Bad River. He described the PSC process: round 1 applications are complete; award notices for round 1 are embargoed by the PSC until later this fall after additional rounds are processed. Johnson said about 435 applications were submitted statewide and that the total requested funding figure is in the billions.
He said the PSC will release an updated eligibility map identifying tentative awards; that map may allow counties to see which areas are tentatively funded and which areas remain eligible for rounds 2 and 3. Johnson said round 3 is likely to fund non‑fiber projects such as satellite and cellular solutions. He added that federal discussions (NTIA/US Department of Commerce) could affect program emphasis on fiber versus a broader mix of technologies.
Ending: Johnson said the commission will continue to update the county and that a six‑month extension will allow the plan to be revised once PSC maps and award information become public.
