The purpose of Jefferson Broadband Action Team is to actively advocate for the expansion of high-speed and accessible broadband to allow Jefferson County to be full participants in 21st century American life.
The JBAT team includes leaders and elected officials from Jefferson County, City of Port Townsend, Jefferson County Public Utility District, Port of Port Townsend, Washington State University, Team Jefferson/Economic Development Council, and a cross-section of members from education, healthcare, small businesses along with local residents. Having this diverse membership ensures that JBAT stays focused on bringing high-speed and affordable broadband to all areas in need.
Advocate for and seek opportunities to 1)improve infrastructure for, access to, and education about reliable, affordable, high speed broadband internet, and 2) provide digital equity in all facets of digital inclusion – home connectivity, device selection/deployment, and digital literacy skills throughout Jefferson County.
Reliable, affordable, broadband high-speed internet is available for all Jefferson County residents/businesses.
The team of volunteers formed in 2019 and has been meeting regularly since then, either monthly or bi-weekly. Over time JBAT has come to include a County Commissioner, Port Commissioner, City of Port Townsend City Council member, Jefferson County Public Utility District Commissioner, Jefferson County Economic Development Council Director, Jefferson County Library Director, two ISP members, Washington State University staff member, representatives from healthcare, education, local business, and residents. They are not funded.
They are involved in promoting legislation, advocating for expansion, and focusing projects/resources on pandemic-related broadband access.
Jefferson PUD has become a retail ISP following recent legislation.
New work is upcoming that will expand reliable high-speed fiber-based broadband and cover many of those in most need.Looking again at the “JBAT Gap Map”, the green areas are ones in which Jefferson PUD has been awarded grants to expand using fiber-to-the-premise infrastructure. In these areas, it is expected that the “take rate” requested from grant funds will bring services to approximately 60% of the locations (or approximately 2860 locations).
Remaining locations of greatest need after these projects are complete:
We estimate the locations in purple will remain unserved (approximately 1865 locations)
And, the remaining 40% (approximately 1789 locations) inside the green areas will remain unserved (although they will have the advantage of being within/closely adjacent to the PUD fiber-to-the-premise infrastructure).
Jefferson PUD
Jefferson County
Jefferson County Library District
EDC Team Jefferson
Lack of sufficient Digital Equity Navigator staff to provide services and training
Lack of private office space in which to deliver Digital Equity Navigator services in area venues
Lack of available transportation for public to existing digital equity services
Prohibitive cost of home/personal high-speed internet access and devices
Lack of service availability in languages other than English
Lack of funding, space, and capacity to manage community’s training device needs
Lack of consistent funding to ensure a sustainable Digital Equity program
Establish sustainable funding for existing Digital Equity program through local, consistent funding streams
Identify additional funding (state, federal, etc.) that is attainable with existing capacity
Develop plan for expansion of Digital Equity program (increased staffing, physical resources, space, etc.)
Develop plan for community “digital literacy” benchmark assessment
In December and January, the PUD was awarded two grants totaling around 11 million dollars to build broadband connections to hundreds of homes lacking access to internet speeds of 25mbps down and 3mbps up over a wired line.
The first grant, from WA State’s Public Works Board, pays for the construction of fiber optic cable to 70 homes near Hwy 20 between Four Corners Road & Sunset Lake Rd and along Anderson Lake Rd.
The second grant, from the WA State Broadband Office, connects 650 homes in 3 zones: Between Cape George Rd along Discovery Bay up to Middlepoint Rd; in the Woodland Hills community between Hwy 19 and Kala Point; and on Marrowstone Island.
Residents in the project areas who agree to have fiber installed to their homes will not pay for any of the construction costs to connect. Monthly service from the PUD will begin at $65 for 100/100mbps. Gig and better speeds will be available. Discounts for customers enrolled in our Low Income program will apply. Other internet providers may also be available, and will offer their own package pricing. The PUD is building an open access network.
The PUD is working on finalizing agreements with the state now. In April or May the PUD will open enrollment for service for eligible homes in the project areas. Enrollment will only be open for a limited time. Homes that do not sign up for fiber installation during the enrollment period will likely have to pay construction costs if they elect to connect to fiber at a later date.
The PUD will begin installing fiber in the second half of this year. We are currently ordering materials and finalizing our workplan. Because of supply chain issues and contractor availability, it will likely be late 2022 or early 2023 before work is complete.
We’re also applying for funding to build fiber from Quilcene to Gardiner, and from Chimacum to Coyle. Our first goal is to connect residents without access to 25/3 service. However, grant rules are changing and future opportunities may arise for areas that have higher speeds, but do not have fiber.
Learn More! Visit our Broadband Project Area Hubpage
Jefferson County PUD was awarded two grants from the State of Washington’s Commerce Department during the second week of December.
The first grant, $1.09M from the Public Works Board, will pay for the PUD to construct fiber optic cable to over 70 homes along Hwy 20 and Anderson Lake Road. The second grant is for $100,000 and will fund the construction of solar panels on the roof of the PUD’s newly expanded and remodeled operations Center on Four Corners Rd.
Both projects will begin construction in 2022. The fiber grant is the first funded of four projects the PUD has developed as part of its goal to build fiber to all residents and businesses in the PUD’s electrical service territory lacking access to internet speeds of 25/3mbps or better over a wired connection. The PUD has also submitted a grant application to the federal government for a $12M project to build to residents from Quilcene to Gardiner and part of Chimacum; and another grant request for $11M to the Washington State Broadband Office to build fiber to residents around Cape George, near Woodland Hills, and on Marrowstone Island. Funding announcements for both awards are due in January. The PUD’s largest and last grant project is still in development and would fund fiber from Chimacum to the Coyle. It will be submitted to the federal government in January. In total the PUD expects to apply for over $40M in funding.
The Department of Commerce’s Solar Grants provide competitive funding to install solar at public buildings and facilities, such as schools, hospitals, civic buildings, and wastewater treatment plants. They are intended to help cut energy costs, reduce pollution, and showcase solar projects in communities across the state. Jefferson County PUD’s proposal will fund the construction of a 100kW system composed of more than 275 solar panels.