Pocahontas County ARC Broadband Project Over Half Completed

During the June 11^th Pocahontas County Broadband Council Meeting, Cory Nipper of the Thompson & Litton Company reported that now that the pole issues with First Energy have been worked out, the majority of the construction has been completed. This includes having over 50% of the fiber already strung, and over 70% of the strands installed, (Strands are the support wires that hold the fiber up.) Regarding that First Energy agreement, Nipper said that utility has just completed fixing two of the last three large pole fixes that were holding up our construction, and they expect to have the last one fixed by the end of the week.

Melissa O’Brien of CityNet said that a lot of that ISP’s projects in the county will be completed by the end of the year. Those include Citynet’s Line Extension Advancement and Development (LEAD) project and its Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) project.  Their Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) project still has 4 years to be completed, however O’Brien said that in Pocahontas County, some addresses could be hooked up under BEAD over the next 2 years.

Mike Holstine of the State Broadband Council said the state still needs to submit the agreements they have with ISPs regarding BEAD, which should be done by the end of next week, and then the rollout can begin, hopefully starting in 2027. CityNet has until 2030 at the latest to complete their BEAD hookups.  Holstine also said that there are efforts at the Federal level to streamline the NEPA process which, if enacted, would shorten the timeline for project approvals.

Melissa O’Brien estimated that the Spruce Knob/Seneca Rocks Company’s LEAD/ARDOF Project in Northern Pocahontas County, will also likely be completed by the end of the year, although she has not had direct communication with them about that.

The Broadband Council wanted to remind everyone that they can go to the Broadband Council’s website, pocahontascountybroadband.com to see maps of the various projects in Pocahontas County, and you can also search for your address to see what broadband project(s) are or will service you. Links to that website will be included on future meeting agendas and minutes.  Mike Holstine added that very shortly these maps will be updated to be more current.

Finally, Ruthana Beexley of the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation said that the ARC Project’s Construction Company, Quanta, is leasing some buildings from them, and appear to be very busy, with their trucks driving in and out.