It’s not over until it’s over, but it looks like everything is set for seven more regional broadband consortia to be approved by the California Public Utilities Commission in the morning.
The funding resolution is a consent item, number 11 on the Commission’s agenda. As of close of business today, no one has asked to hold it for a later meeting or move it off of the consent agenda. No revisions have been posted since last Friday, 10 February 2012.
As a consent item, it would be approved along with a couple dozen other resolutions with a single vote and without debate by the Commissioners. Before that happens, however, any commissioner can ask to hold it for a later meeting, or move it onto the regular agenda for further discussion.
The resolution approves $150,000 in funding for seven consortia for Year 1 and allocates $150,000 each for Years 2 and 3, contingent on a successful first year. The consortia in line for a total grant of $450,000 each are:
- California’s One Million New Internet User Coalition – various hubs in LA County
- Central Sierra Connect Broadband Consortium – western Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa, and Tuolumne Counties.
- Connected Capital Area Broadband Consortium – Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba Counties.
- Eastern Sierra Connect Regional Broadband Consortium – Mono, Inyo and eastern Kern Counties.
- Gold Country Broadband Consortium – Sierra, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado and eastern Alpine Counties.
- Inland Empire Regional Broadband Consortium – San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.
- San Diego Imperial Regional Broadband Consortium – San Diego and Imperial Counties.
These regional broadband champions join seven others approved on 1 December 2011. More information on the first group of seven is available here. The page will have information on all fourteen consortia as soon as the Commission votes tomorrow, assuming everything remains on track.
In the meantime, I’ll be updating via Twitter: Follow @SteveBlum