The Jefferson County Public Utility District is among the 10 communities that the Washington State Public Works Board recently approved for $21 million in critical infrastructure projects, collectively, for broadband construction, pre-construction and emergency funding.

At its May 3 business meeting, the PWB approved $20 million to expand broadband access in unserved communities, $550,000 for two pre-construction projects and two emergency infrastructure projects for $514,500.

These broadband projects will expand service in Jefferson, Island, Klickitat, Okanogan and Spokane counties, to an estimated 6,000 unserved end-user locations, such as homes, businesses, farms and “community anchor” institutions.

Jefferson PUD has been approved to receive $4 million in broadband construction match funding, between a $2.8 million loan and $1.2 million in grant funds, for the Northeast Olympic FTTP project.

According to Public Works Board Executive Director Maria Jawad, this investment is intended to assist with construction cost increases associated with prior awards by the Washington State Broadband Office.

When complete, the Jefferson PUD projects are expected to provide approximately 377 miles of fiber for 3,222 end users, located in areas of Port Townsend, Chimacum, Nordland, Port Hadlock, Quilcene and even Sequim in Clallam County.

Jameson Hawn, digital communications specialist for Jefferson PUD, explained that the PUD applied for match funding to help with anticipated overages for its Olympic Fiber Corridor and Jefferson North projects.

“Anticipated overages for the projects stem from pre-COVID construction estimates for the fiber buildout,” Hawn said. “As we’ve all seen and experienced firsthand these past few years, the real-world cost of projects has increased markedly. We’re constantly evaluating and tracking our fiber buildout funding, and we knew that overages were going to be a reality moving forward.”

Hawn expressed gratitude to the Public Works Board for the low-interest loan opportunity.

“We looked at standard loan packages, but the funding options with the PWB loan were amazing, at 0.42% for a 15-year loan,” Hawn said. “The loan amount of $2.8 million, and the additional $1.2 million in grant funds, are a huge benefit as well, because we couldn’t request federal grant dollars, due to our fiber zones being federal grants.”

Hawn pointed out that the $1.2 million in grants is state funding, “so we can use that as needed.”

Hawn elaborated that the May 3 decision by the PWB was “just an initial announcement,” as the PUD board must ultimately review the contract documents and approve their amounts. “Discussions surrounding the loan and grant amounts and mechanisms will be covered in the coming months, during PUD commission meetings,” Hawn said. “Those commission meetings are open to the public, and are a hybrid format as well, so we encourage those who are interested to attend!”

Hawn credited Jefferson PUD crews in the field with making “some huge strides in rolling out fiber to customers” in rural areas surrounding Quilcene and “northward along the 101 corridor,” as “we’re seeing some great signup numbers for fiber, and they grow every day.”