[1st-mile-nm] RUS and BTOP Awards in NM

[Richard Lowenberg]

Today's Broadband and Smart Grid Summit in Moriarty was a great  
success on many counts.
It was very well attended, and a point that was iterated repeatedly  
was that greater cooperation on broadband development, among public  
and private sector entities would be most benefitial for all.
The USDA RUS and the NTIA BTOP used the occasion to announce one award  
each in New Mexico.
Congratulations to Kit Carson Electric Coop, and to the NCNMEDD REDI  
Net, for their extensive north-central NM interconnected open fiber  
network initiatives, and successful broadband stimulus awards.
RL

New Mexico to Receive $74.4 Million in Broadband Grants

http://broadbandbreakfast.com/2010/08/new-mexico-to-receive-74-4-million-in-broadband-grants/

Rahul Gaitonde, Deputy Editor, BroadbandBreakfast.com

WASHINGTON, August 16, 2010- New Mexico entities received a $10.6  
million broadband stimulus grant from the National Telecommunications  
and Information Administration, and support for a $63.8 million  
project from the Rural Utilities Service of the Department of  
Agriculture.

The NTIA grant will be given to North Central New Mexico Economic  
Development District to deploy a middle-mile project across three  
counties and five tribal areas. The project will directly serve 123  
community anchor institutions, 19,227 homes and 1,332 businesses.  
“Middle mile” projects aim to expand the availability of broadband  
interconnections to companies and organizations that offer service to  
end-users.

“High-speed Internet access is increasingly important for communities  
to thrive in the 21st century economy,” said NTIA Deputy Administrator  
Anna M. Gomez. “This Recovery Act investment will create jobs, support  
advances in education and healthcare, and help lay the groundwork for  
sustainable economic growth.”

The RUS project will go to the Kit Carson Electric Cooperateive Fiber  
to the home project. It will service 29 communities, 20,500  
households, 3,600 business, 183 anchor institutions and two Native  
American Pueblos.

“This project will give rural New Mexico residents access to the  
broadband they need to attract new businesses, jobs, health care and  
educational opportunities,” said RUS Administrator Jonathan Adelstein.  
“It will enable Kit Carson to deploy cutting edge smart grid  
technology that will help cut electric bills and permit sustainable  
energy development.

“The Obama Administration understands that bringing broadband to rural  
New Mexico will give families, businesses and key anchor institutions  
— such as schools, libraries and first responders — service that is  
second to none. This project will create immediate jobs building out  
the network, and the completed system will provide a platform for  
economic growth Northern New Mexico for years to come.”



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Richard Lowenberg
P. O. Box 8001,  Santa Fe, NM  87504
505-989-9110 off.; 505-603-5200 cell
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