Agenda - Council - 09/13/2022 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Finally, the final rule incorporates guidance issued by Treasury following the interim final rule on middle -mile projects,333 pre -project development costs,334 broadband connections to schools or libraries,335 and applicability of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Davis -Bacon Act.336 The remainder of this section provides additional details on the final rule. Specifically, these sections address: (1) eligible areas for investment; (2) build -to speed standards; (3) affordability; (4) public networks; (5) duplication of efforts and resources; (6) cybersecurity; and (7) use of funds to meet non-federal match under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Eligible Areas for Investment The interim final rule limited eligible broadband investments to projects focused on delivering service to unserved or underserved locations, defined as households or businesses that lack access to a wireline connection capable of reliably delivering at least minimum speeds of 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. This targeted approach was generally consistent with certain speed thresholds used in other federal programs to identify eligible areas for federal investment in broadband infrastructure, such as the FCC's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) program and the National Telecommunication and Information Administration's (NTIA's) Broadband Infrastructure Program, and generally aligns with the FCC's benchmark for an "advanced telecommunications capability" for wireline broadband services. 333 See FAQ 6.10. Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, Frequently Asked Questions, as of July 19, 2021; https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/SLFRPFAQ.pdf. 334 See FAQ 6.12. Id. 335 See FAQ 6.16. Id. 336 See FAQ 6.4, 6.17. Id. 299