Broad talk about expanding broadband throughout all of Hamilton County and much of Tennessee became more than just talk this week. On Wednesday, the Hamilton County Commission unanimously approved a broadband deal that will benefit more than 1,000 county residents who live beyond Chattanooga’s decade old Gig City footprint.
The effort, funded in part through the American Rescue Plan Act which was passed last year by Democrats in Congress, is and has been “greatly, greatly needed,” Commissioner Steve Highlander, R-Ooltewah, said last week as the commission discussed the matter during an agenda session. Highlander said broadband access has been the largest request from the people who live in his district – a very Republican district in a very Republican state whose governor and other Republican politicians termed the American Rescue Plan as “unneeded.”
But good broadband access is a most-requested item with good reason. The availability of high-speed internet connections are increasingly vital for schools, jobs and modern health care.
Hamilton County youngsters – especially those living in Chattanooga with good internet – might not have fallen as behind in school work as did most of the rest of Tennessee students after schools juggled remote learning with in-person classes last year while COVID raged. Instead, our youngsters kept learning and their test scores remained stable or better, while others across the state did not.
Volunteer Energy Cooperative, a utility serving all or part of 17 counties east and north of us from Georgia to Kentucky, is seeking a $6.2 million grant through the Tennessee Emergency Broadband Funds, established last August with money from American Rescue Act.
In Hamilton County, Volunteer plans to lay 112 miles of fiber-optic lines to reach 1,395 customers in outlying areas.
Our county government will put up a 10% match – $615,671.
But Hamilton County won’t be the only local area aided by this outstanding use of our federal, state and local tax dollars.
Volunteer Energy Cooperative grant requests
The Volunteer Energy Cooperative grant requests include:› Hamilton County for $6.2 million to lay 112 miles of fiber lines, reaching 1,395 customers.› Bradley County for $18.4 million to lay 358 miles of fiber lines, reaching 3,849 customers.› Cumberland County for $3.3 million to lay 69 miles of fiber lines, reaching 607 customers.› McMinn County for $32.3 million to lay 634 miles of fiber lines, reaching 6,794 customers.› Meigs County for $13.3 million to lay 261 miles of fiber lines, reaching 2,692 customers.› Polk County for $34.5 million to lay 652 miles of fiber lines, reaching 7,488 customers.› Rhea County for $11.2 million to lay 212 miles of fiber lines, reaching 2,525 customers.› Roane County for $6.1 million to lay 122 miles of fiber lines, reaching 1,189 customers.
We are part of more than $125 million in projects that Volunteer Energy Cooperative has outlined in grant requests. Altogether this will bring reliable internet to more than 26,539 customers in eight counties.
Tennessee’s overall share of President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Act, passed and signed into law last March, is $3.72 billion.
Gov. Bill Lee’s administration last summer announced plans for using half of one of those billions – $500 million – for broadband expansion. Lee, apparently forgetting his “unneeded” remarks, said other state spending would include $1.35 billion for sewer and water projects across the state. The rest was earmarked for vaccines, healthcare, rent assistance and other individual help.
Add on top of this, the fact that Tennessee counties, cities and towns are reaping an additional $2.88 billion as part of their share of the $1.9 trillion federal act.
We would be remiss not to wave this reminder: The $1.9 trillion federal act was opposed by congressional Republicans and continues to be bad-mouthed by them – at least until they smile in photos beside fiber optics trucks or the like.
Not one Republican representative in the House voted for this. Not. One. Specifically, Tennessee GOP Reps. Chuck Fleischmann, Scott DesJarlais, Tim Burchett, Mark Green, Diana Harshbarger, David Kustoff and John Rose voted “nay.” They voted against bringing their constituents – you – something now as essential to our lives as electricity and indoor plumbing.
Similarly, in the U.S. Senate, no Republicans voted for it. Not Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty and not Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn.
Here’s how Blackburn embarrased herself, and all of us, in talking about it.
“Here is the truth they certainly didn’t pour their time and energy into those 600 pages to provide relief but to shamelessly advance their own agenda and throw aside struggling families and workers. … They used slick messaging and wordy phrases to sell a bill of goods that treats every pet project they have and every liberal wish list agenda item as essential.”
Isn’t it broadband – a “liberal wish list agenda item” – that allows Blackburn to stream her wingnut podcasts?
Here is the truth: A liberal wish list agenda item would include two new Democratic senators for Tennessee and seven new Democratic House representatives.