Governor Newsom has announced the first 18 projects that are receiving some of the state’s six-billion dollars in funding to expand broadband infrastructure. And it doesn’t include Nevada County. But the county’s Chief Information Officer, Steve Monaghan, says that’s because those counties and cities are creating an open access middle-mile network. He says Nevada County is further along, or on the last mile. And funding for that should be available in about a year…

click to listen to Steve Monaghan

Monaghan says the state has set aside around one-billion dollars for rural counties. And he says Nevada County could receive anywhere from 40 to 100-million dollars. But he points out that geographical challenges here make connections more expensive…

click to listen to Steve Monaghan

Monaghan also says the Federal Infrastructure Bill includes 36-billion dollars for broadband expansion, with rural areas a priority.