Rural broadband access stalled

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

The project is also important to homeland security because it will link Wallops Flight Facility, a NASA station on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, with Patuxent River Naval Air Station, said Wayne E. Clark, a member of the Rural Broadband Cooperative’s board of directors and executive director of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland.

‘‘It’s meeting a critical statewide need to provide 21st century technology to all of the citizens in rural Maryland from the Atlantic Ocean to Garrett County,” he said.

At issue is a $1-per-linear foot surcharge assessed on the broadband cable that crosses over environmentally sensitive Eastern Shore waterways, including the Choptank River, which separates Talbot and Dorchester counties.

Lawmakers and supporters of the project, which is being constructed in three phases, say the levy should be waived because of the project’s importance. They also believe it should already be exempt because it is a state and federally funded telecommunications project.

‘‘The whole point is to bring broadband to rural areas at a reasonable cost,” said Del. Jeannie Haddaway (R-Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot, Wicomico). ‘‘If we have to pay $1 per linear foot, it’s not going to do us any favors to bring the price down.”

Only the Board of Public Works has the authority to waive the fees, Environment Secretary Shari T. Wilson said on March 7, but Haddaway and Sen. Richard F. Colburn (R-Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot, Wicomico) have introduced bills that would allow the project to be exempt from tidal wetland surcharges.

Another problem holding up the project is the issuance of environmental permits that would allow cable to be laid over wetlands. Wilson said her agency is working to expedite the permitting process.

‘‘The department understands the importance of the project and wants to move as quickly as possible to get it going,” she said.

In the meantime, officials with the Rural Broadband Cooperative said they restarted work and are laying cable on dry land so that they can easily connect the lines once the permits are granted.

The permitting is expected to be completed by June, said John A. Dillman III, president of the cooperative’s board of directors and executive director of the Upper Shore Regional Council in Chestertown.

He hopes the project’s first phase, which follows U.S. 50⁄301 on the Eastern Shore to the Chesapeake Bay bridge, will be finished by the end of summer. The next two phases, which would extend from the bay bridge to Southern Maryland on to Western Maryland are slated for completion in 2010.

Still, he acknowledged that the holdup has been frustrating.

‘‘We are not out wading in wetlands,” Dillman said. ‘‘We are building on firm infrastructure already in place for our highways.” The cable that crosses the Choptank River is attached to the Frederick C. Malkus Jr. Memorial Bridge, he said.

If the legislation fails and the BPW rejects the waiver request, the cooperative could seek to defer payment of the wetland fee for several years until revenue is collected, Wilson said.

But state officials said that action would defeat the purpose of providing affordable broadband access to rural businesses and residents.

‘‘The timing is perfect for that with our revenues going up so sharply,” said a sarcastic Del. Murray D. Levy (D-Charles).

‘‘It’s one of these bureaucratic hang-ups that frustrates citizens and lawmakers alike,” said Comptroller Peter Franchot (D), who said he would support a waiver request if it came before the Board of Public Works.

Clark estimated the tidal wetland fee would cost up to $100,000, which the cooperative could not afford.

Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D) has secured almost $9 million in federal funding for the link. The state has pledged $10 million for the project.

The state and federal commitment should ensure the project stays on course, Clark said. ‘‘It’s not a hard stop. It’s a bump.”

abrody@somdnews.com