NATOA Invites All Communities to Sign On To NTIA/RUS Broadband Stimulus Comments
NATOA has issued a general invitation to all communities to sign on to the NTIA/RUS Broadband Stimulus comments being drafted by NATOA. For more information,..JOIN US – PARTICIPATE AS PART OF NATIONAL COMMENTS IN RESPONSE TO THE JOINT NTIA/RUS AGENCY REQUEST FOR INFORMATION! YOU CAN USE THIS SIMPLE WEB FORM TO COMPLETE ALL OF THE NECESSARY
INFORMATION!
http://natoa.wufoo.com/forms/local-governments-participate-in-ntiarus-comments/
As
you are aware, NATOA initially worked very hard to ensure the inclusion of the
broadband provisions in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009
(ARRA); which resulted in $4.2 billion in funds being made available for
broadband. In addition, there are funds being made through the Department
of Agriculture’s Rural Utility Services (RUS) program, and a variety of sources
– some direct, others tangential – that will all help to support the goals of a
national broadband strategy.
NATOA
was pleased to assist in the NTIA/RUS panels on broadband, and in filing
comments in support of rural broadband last week. We continue to work on
behalf of local governments in their participation in all of these and the
related proceedings before the NTIA, RUS and the FCC. That work will also
flow into and become part of a wider filing to help with the goal of a
National Broadband Strategy.
In
response to the NTIA Notice for Fund Availability – wherein they are seeking
comments on definitions of broadband, on unserved/underserved/vulnerable, on
eligibility criteria and reporting obligations, streamlining applications and
verification of collected data – there’s a vast amount on which local
government interested parties should be responding.
I
personally received a request from NTIA that NATOA, to the best of its ability,
coordinate and consolidate all local government comments for the
proceeding. I was asked to discuss this proceeding with not only the
NATOA Board, but also with our sister organizations, NLC, NACo, USCM.
I have also reached out and invited other like-minded groups including
TeleCommUnity, and member consortia like GMTC, to encourage that we make best
efforts to file one consolidated comment document. Some have already
responded, as you can see from the attached draft, while others are being added
each day. For those who are in a financial positition to be able to do
so, we are asking for a $500 contribution to help defray costs. For those
who cannot afford the $500 or any lesser amount, we would still like permission
to list your community as supporting of the comments.
Here
are the challenges – the comments need to reflect a consensus document – we do
not all have to agree with every aspect of each statement, yet we all must be
able to live with the overall approach and tactics. NTIA has very little
time to sig up the first round of grants, and what quickly they are able to
assimilate and absorb the comments of local government, the better they can
reflect those comments in their proceeding and report. While there is a
slight tendency to want to overwhelm them with thousands of comments from around
the country, to do so will only slow them down, and reduce the amount of
substantive information they have time to learn and appreciate. And
NTIA does not want us to file at the last minute or on the last day!!
They have asked that I prep our comments in a very specific manner and
that I get them turned in early – so that they can start working with them
immediately.
So
– If you would like to participate in the broadband proceeding before the
NTIA – and you are in a position to voice your support or participate -
please use this simple link to indicate your willingness - http://natoa.wufoo.com/forms/local-governments-participate-in-ntiarus-comments/. If
there is a particular anecdote or example or story that sheds light on your
communities’ unique situation – send that to me too – whether through links,
appendices, or vignettes, I will make every effort to see that the points you
seek to have incorporated will be. For those who can provide the
$500 contribution, we’ll be listing named communities upfront; for those
who can’t send money but can loan their name in support, we’ll be listing in a
lengthy appendices, so don’t forget to tell me exactly how you’d want your
communities’ name listed.
Time
Frame –
April
3 - Please reply via the link - http://natoa.wufoo.com/forms/local-governments-participate-in-ntiarus-comments/ -
April 3
– Send check for any monies committed. If you require an invoice,
please email info@natoa.org and we will
make every effort to send out invoices as quickly as possible - but please be
patient - if we are successful, we will have a lot of work to do! We will
not invoice you unless you advise us that you require an invoice.
We
would love to have hundreds join in this filing – and want to ensure that the
NTIA gets all of the valuable and relevant information that NATOA and our
members have to offer. Don’t’ forget, we’re also inviting NLC, NACo,
USCM, TeleCommUnity, ACM and any other group you suggest to join under the
umbrella filing. First grants go out in June – time is truly of the
essence! Don’t delay – Join Today!!
Libby Beaty
Executive
Director