The second round of funding for what’s called the “Last Mile Broadband Grant Program” has been awarded. At their meeting yesterday, Nevada County Supervisors approved half-a-million dollars to four local internet service providers. That’ll add another 440 households in the next 12 to 18 months. Kari Sinoff is the Project Manager, with the Sierra Business Council and the Gold Country Broadband Consortium. She told the Board that many of the installations will be underground, to improve resiliency…

click to listen to Kari Sinoff

Half of the money came from PG and E settlement funds. Sinoff says most will also be community-owned projects with open access networks…

click to listen to Kari Sinoff

Sinoff says the funding leverages almost four-million dollars worth of projects, including unincorporated areas of Grass Valley, Oak Ridge and Bear Claw Court, the Dog Valley area, and north of the Nevada City limits. She says one provider, Spiral Fiber, plans an eventual buildout of up to 12-thousand home connections.