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Whatcom PUD says Point Roberts broadband project cut from ~1,500 addresses after archaeology, permitting delays
Summary
Whatcom County PUD Commissioner Atul Deshmani told the Point Roberts advisory committee that archaeology reviews, a switch from buried to poles-only design and pole‑attachment costs forced successive cuts to the federally funded broadband project and left only a few hundred addresses likely to be served under current approvals.
Whatcom County PUD Commissioner Atul Deshmani updated the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee on the status of the federally funded broadband project, saying delays and design changes have sharply reduced the number of addresses the project can serve.
Atul Deshmani, joining remotely, summarized the timeline: the project began about 4.5 years ago with federal and state funding and a PUD contract signed in October 2023. Design and permitting complications — including a change from buried to poles‑only construction, lengthy Puget Sound Energy pole‑attachment negotiations and state archaeology reviews — increased costs and forced cuts in scope. "We have about 6 months left to be execute the contract," Deshmani said, adding that recent constraints required cutting the number of target locations and that the Department of the Treasury must approve the scope changes.
Committee members pressed Deshmani for details on which addresses remain in scope and how to pursue alternate funding. The commissioner said a new federal program (described as federally allocated funds statewide) may offer a plan B: staff will investigate whether future rounds could fill service gaps for the more than 1,000 addresses now likely to remain unserved. He also proposed bringing technical staff and a wireless‑technology expert to the April meeting to discuss alternatives such as TV‑white‑space wireless, which can avoid ground disturbance but presents tradeoffs on symmetric speeds.
Deshmani emphasized the project remains provisional in part because of archaeology restrictions in some areas; committee members noted areas such as Maple Beach have nearly zero tolerance for ground disturbance, further limiting buried options. The commissioner said he would return with more specifics and coordinate an April 16 in‑person session for technical questions.
What this means: under the current schedule and approvals the project will serve significantly fewer addresses than originally planned and may require additional funding or different technology to reach unserved homes. The PUD describes the current IRU-related agreements as provisional and contingent on further approvals from state and federal offices.
