Happening tomorrow (Mar 5) online and in person…
Wednesday, March 5, 2025 , 1:00 PM
Time Note: The committee will reconvene at 6:30 p.m. or at the call of the chair, if necessary, to complete the day’s business.Agriculture Finance and Policy
Chair: Rep. Paul Anderson
Location: Capitol G3
Agenda:Bills may be added.
Bills Added
HF47(Schultz)
Provisions governing the certification of underground telecommunications installers modified.
The West Central Tribune reports on Willmar Mayor Doug Reese delivered his State of the City address at Tuesday’s Willmar City Council meeting…
Reese also acknowledged the Connect Willmar Initiative, noting that the Willmar Industrial Park has long been a focus for growth in the city.
After receiving three proposals to extend fiber-optic broadband services to the industrial park, a broadband committee was formed to provide guidance and has spent two years researching and developing a planned open-access network throughout the city.
“The system will provide the fiber backbone for private companies to deliver fast and more reliable broadband service to residences and businesses,” Reese said. “If approved, this project will be the first of its kind in Minnesota. ”
After launching a new logo in February of 2024, one of the city’s goals this year is to amplify messaging on social media to engage, communicate and promote Willmar, for which staff took an eight-day social media training session, Reese said.
The Foundation for Rural Service has published a new report, Delivering Broadband from Beginning to “End.” It’s been a minute since I looked at a “how to” manual for rural broadband. They describe the work…
But as this paper will explain, funding a project is just the start of the journey to bring broadband to your home, business, or community At times the process, from the initial decision or funding award to invest to completion of deployment, seems slow and frustrating for members of the community looking forward to a better broadband connection (or to their first opportunity to enjoy one) The following report explains the numerous steps, and at times hurdles, that go into designing and delivering a reliable and robust broadband network and attempts to answer the often-asked question “why is this taking so long?” Additionally, this report addresses the fact that the job is hardly complete when constructing the network is “done ” Because what matters most to consumers (the availability, affordability, and reliability of services) must be a central focus and require funding and attention.
It is that last step that caught my eye – in part because I just finished watching a MN Legislative meeting to broadband deployment and then support for city, township and county cyber security. You may own your house (or your network) but it still isn’t free. The whole report is definitely worth a looking, especially for the timeline near the end. I wanted to share some of the conclusion…
The deployment of broadband technology and delivery of broadband services from beginning to “end” represents a pivotal advancement in our collective digital journey While bridging the digital divide, expanding broadband infrastructure can revolutionize connectivity and enhance economic opportunities But it takes hard work and timeintensive effort to build a network from the planning and permitting stages through actual construction – and the job is just beginning when the network is “done ” …
The deployment of broadband networks is undoubtedly a monumental task, requiring immense coordination, technical expertise, and financial investment However, challenges still present themselves after the network is built Operating a broadband network is not a passive endeavor It is a dynamic business that demands continuous oversight, adaptability, and customer-focused strategies While many understandably focus on the excitement associated with broadband deployment and the initial thrill of announcing that customers are connected, we cannot overlook the many steps that go into making that happen in the first place – and the many additional ongoing steps that go into making sure that this has a lasting impact for those that get connected
One of the weird things I had to do for work a lifetime ago was create a disaster preparedness plan for the university library where I worked. I learned quickly that it was easiest to do the research and borrow heavily. Connect Humanity has made the easier for communities needing to create or deploy a broadband resiliency program. I have borrowed the recap of it from Benton Institute for Broadband & Society …
As communities across the Southeast US continue recovery efforts following the devastating hurricanes of late summer, one refrain stands out: connectivity is critical in disaster scenarios, and when the internet goes down, communities are cut off. Unfortunately, with climate-related risks increasing, many more communities are likely to face challenges in the coming decades. Resiliency in our local infrastructure—including broadband—is becoming ever more critical. Drawing from our partners and experts, these steps, ranging from immediate interventions to long-term strategies, can help communities respond now and prepare for the future by strengthening their broadband infrastructure.
- Conduct a Damage Assessment
- Prioritize Restoration of Critical Communication Points
- Identify and Leverage Federal and State Assistance
- Engage Residents and Community Groups
- Think Creatively During Infrastructure Repairs
- Prioritize Hardened, Weather-Resistant Infrastructure
- Create Redundant and Decentralized Networks
- Monitor and Strengthen Broadband Networks
- Implement Long-Term Digital Resilience
- Develop a Connectivity Plan
The Midwest Economic Policy Institute has released a report on Broadband Construction Projects and Prevailing Wage in Minnesota. They strive to make the case that requiring prevailing wages for all broadband projects (last and middle mile included) would benefit the Minnesota economy. The report is likely a response to the prevailing wage bill that passed into law last earlier this year, a bill that was heavily contested by providers.
They come at it from two angles. First, saying that prevailing wages are good for the economy…
In particular, two labor market institutions have been linked with upward economic mobility for skilled construction workers and increased investments in registered apprenticeship programs: collective bargaining agreements with trades unions and prevailing wage laws.
Without prevailing wages, contracts will go to non-locals…
Both the data and the preponderance of the economic research demonstrate that expanding prevailing wage coverage to more broadband infrastructure projects would deliver positive impacts in Minnesota. It would prevent many broadband infrastructure projects from being awarded to out-of-state contractors and nonlocal workers. This would keep more of Minnesota’s tax dollars in the local economy, increasing labor income and consumer spending in communities across the state. It would also raise wages, boost productivity, increase investments in registered apprenticeship programs, and improve worksite safety outcomes in the broadband construction industry.
And that having broadband is good for the economy…
They conclude…
Over the next six years, Minnesota will be leveraging more than $800 million in taxpayer-funded grants to spur an estimated $1.9 billion investment in broadband infrastructure. Access to reliable high-speed internet service will be expanded to 159,000 homes, businesses, farms, schools, and other community institutions. These investments will raise worker income and expand access to jobs while addressing “digital divides.” However, Minnesota will only maximize the economic development impact of these investments if they are built by local contractors who are able to attract, develop, and retain skilled trades workers during a historic labor shortage. Without action, Minnesota risks either delays in constructing this critical infrastructure or significant leakage of taxpayer dollars to out-of-state businesses and nonlocal workers, who take their earnings and consumer spending back home with them upon project completion—reducing economic activity in the state and limiting its growth potential.
To meet the moment, Minnesota could expand coverage of its prevailing wage law to most or all broadband infrastructure projects that receive taxpayer-funded grants, similar to its existing policy on other types of public works construction projects. The state’s prevailing wage law levels the playing field for contractors, improves job quality for workers, bolsters registered apprenticeship programs that train the next generation of skilled workers, and increases workforce productivity while reducing worksite safety issues. However, at least 8-in-10 broadband infrastructure projects funded with state grants since 2014 have been excluded from prevailing wage coverage.
The state could consider eliminating the exemption for “last-mile” broadband projects and reducing the coverage threshold from a grant of $200,000 to a total project value of $25,000 consistent with prevailing wage coverage on all other state-funded projects. Repealing these exceptions for prevailing wage coverage could have the ancillary benefit of improving transparency and accountability for taxpayers, with certified payroll reports becoming accessible. Additional measures could include inserting prevailing wage and other labor standards into the scoring system for awarding broadband grants to applicants and applying high safety standards on broadband infrastructure investments. These reforms could help ensure that broadband projects are built safely, on-time, and within budget by construction businesses from Minnesota who employ skilled local workers earning market-competitive wages and family-supporting benefits.
Regardless of how you feel about the issue, the report is full of helpful tables and data on the Minnesota Broadband grants.
The broadband industry needs more workers. Desperately. Specifically, it needs tens of thousands more construction workers and broadband technicians to complete a coming wave of government-funded deployment projects or else critical broadband expansions could be delayed.
Some original research conducted by Continuum Capital found that the U.S. is short by about 58,000 tradespeople to build about $80 billion in government-funded fiber projects over the next five to seven years.
The research was done on behalf of the Power & Communication Contractors Association (PCCA) and the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA). Researchers interviewed 350 people across all 50 states who were selected for their knowledge and experience in the broadband market.
The report notes that the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) monies, along with matching funds, will contribute $52 billion toward fiber projects, while other government programs are adding billions toward fiber deployments, as well.
That’s great, but the influx of funding also means the industry will require an influx of workers to build the networks being funded.
According to the research, all this work will require about 186,900 workers. But in order to meet that total workforce demand, the U.S. will need 28,000 additional construction tradespeople, and it will also need about 30,000 additional skilled broadband technicians.
Mesabi Tribune reports on increase in construction employment…
In recent years, financial commitment from the federal government to rebuild and expand critical American infrastructure has been a boon for the construction industry. Stemming from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, federal funding announcements for infrastructure projects have totalled $552.8 billion as of June 2024. From building and expanding critical railroad corridors to securing clean water and broadband internet in rural communities, the American construction industry has its work cut out for it.
Despite these sizable financial commitments, the construction industry faces a major labor shortage. Largely due to the aforementioned infrastructure developments combined with recent large private sector construction projects, Associated Builders and Contractors—a construction industry trade association—estimates the sector needs to hire over 500,000 workers to satisfy current demand in 2024.
Here’s how Minnesota looks…
At the metropolitan level, there is a strong positive correlation between the overall health of the local economy and construction-specific job growth. In general, locations with the most total employment growth were more likely to have strong construction job growth, while metros suffering from job losses were more likely to cut back on construction hiring. These trends highlight the fact that job growth tends to reinforce itself. When a city adds more workers in one part of the economy, it often needs to create more homes, office space, and services to accommodate them, which helps create more jobs in other parts of the economy as well. In many of these high-growth cities, construction job growth significantly outpaced total employment growth over the past five years.
This analysis was conducted by Construction Coverage, a website that provides construction insurance guides, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. To determine the locations with the biggest increase in construction jobs, researchers calculated the percentage change in construction employment between 2018 and 2023.
Here is a summary of the data for Minnesota:
- Percentage change in construction employment (2018–2023): +10.4%
- Percentage change in total employment (2018–2023): +0.5%
- Total change in construction employment (2018–2023): +10,450
- Total construction employment (2023): 110,960
- Median annual wage for construction workers (2023): $65,770
For reference, here are the statistics for the entire United States:
Percentage change in construction employment (2018–2023): +4.4%
Percentage change in total employment (2018–2023): +4.9%
Total change in construction employment (2018–2023): +262,990
Total construction employment (2023): 6,225,630
Median annual wage for construction workers (2023): $55,680
Hopefully this stands Minnesota in good stead when broadband deployment begins.
Nice to see the Tribal Broadband Bootcamps from the Institute for Local Self Reliance get noticed by Finance and Commerce…
Ultimately, though, if broadband expansion is to succeed on tribal lands, it will happen because people understand how to make it work in their communities, and that’s where nuts-and-bolts training sessions like this come into play.
More than 1 in 5 homes on tribal lands lack access to adequate broadband, compared to fewer than one in 10 on non-tribal land in 2024, according to Federal Communications Commission data. But experts say the disparity is likely greater.
Tribal nations have struggled to connect to the web for a variety of reasons ranging from living in remote locations to lack of investment by internet service providers. The lack of service has hampered every aspect of 21st century life, from health care and education access to the ability to start a business and stay in touch with friends and family.
“A lot of tribal communities, they’re probably decades behind a lot of urban areas in terms of internet connectivity,” said E.J. John, a Navajo Nation member and policy analyst at the American Indian Policy Institute. “Connectivity rates are very low.”
With at least $3 billion specifically set aside for tribal nations, depending on how they fare competing for the biggest pot of federal money for broadband expansion, Rantanen said he has received a “flood” of interest in training and applying for grants.
The solution Rantanen and Mitchell came up with was the Tribal Broadband Bootcamp, a hands-on way to help people understand the technology through three-day sessions.
“We actually want people to see a fiber optic network in the ground that they can use tools to manipulate and troubleshoot,” said Mitchell, who runs broadband efforts for a nonprofit called the Institute of Local Self-Reliance.
Most previous bootcamps have taken place on tribal lands, but about a third of the sessions have been hosted on Rantanen’s ranch, which the founders affectionately call a “broadband playground.”
At the group’s 14th bootcamp in June, participants roamed the ranch on foot and by utility vehicles trailed by clouds of dust.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports…
The largely rural Anoka County community of Nowthen is getting wired with something most Twin Cities suburbs already have: high-speed internet.
Nowthen Mayor Jeff Pilon, City Council members and representatives from Comcast held a symbolic groundbreaking Tuesday outside the city offices to kick off the effort. …
Comcast is in the midst of expanding its fast fiber network in all or parts of eight cities in Minnesota: Chanhassen, Corcoran, Cologne, Grant, Hugo, Rogers, Stillwater Township and Nowthen.
Construction in Nowthen will begin in the southwest corner of the city, and move at a rate of about a mile a day. The service will allow customers, if they choose to sign up, access to internet speeds of up to a gigabit per second for residential service and business speeds up to 100 Gbps, the company said.
Minnesota has a statutory goal of ensuring all businesses and homes in the state have access to at least one broadband provider with download speeds of at least 100 Mbps and upload speeds of 20 Mbps by 2026.
Yesterday, the Internet and Television Association released a documentary titled Every Last Mile. It features three communities, including Lakewood Township MN.
Telecompetitor reports on the video…
The Mediacom crew in Lakewood Township, Minn., had a nature-imposed deadline — getting fiber in the ground during the short season when the ground isn’t frozen solid. The area, in the state’s Iron Range, has impenetrable bedrock in some sections.
As the crew chief notes, a mile of cabling in a major metro area might pass 2,000 people, but in rural areas of the state, a mile of cabling might pass two houses. At one point, some of the crew members must wade into cold water that comes above their knees to help meet the crew’s goal of deploying a mile of fiber every day.
It’s an interesting look at how the broadband sausage is made. They talk about the impact of weather, protecting artifacts and sacred land in the field, staying out of traffic and away from snakes, running into rocks. (Spoiler alert: earlier today I posted a press release from Mediacom celebrating the completion of the network in Lakewood Township.)
The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is sharing a new resources and accompanying webinar (Could It Be Me? Should It Be Me? Understanding What Makes Broadband Champions). I thought many reader would benefit from learning more and/or be interested in where they fit in the spectrum…
As a Marjorie and Charles Benton Opportunity Fund Fellow, Dr. Pierrette Renée Dagg examined the role community champions in community connectivity solutions and the factors that allow these leaders to succeed.
Building on Merit’s work with a number of Michigan communities, she developed in-depth profiles of eight community champions and a taxonomy of the different kinds of broadband champions:
- Connectors are adept at creating significant personal connections, acting as the social adhesive in communities.
- Multipliers are skilled strategists who leverage relationships, knowledge, and resources to methodically achieve their objectives.
- Visionaries stand out for their forward-looking plans, aiming for a clear goal and persistently moving towards it.
By understanding qualities and archetypes of champions, those who want to improve connectivity can understand context-specific strategies and tactics that are effective and adaptable to their local community. They can also, hopefully, see the many ways to be effective broadband champions and realize that yes, it could be them.
Read the Digital Beat Article, Understanding What Makes Broadband Champions, May 8th, 2024.
Download the full report.
And more on the webinar…
On May 22nd at 1 PM ET we will hold a webinar about the crucial role broadband champions play in addressing the connectivity needs in their communities. Dr. Dagg and some of the champions profiled will share their stories and the factors that contributed to their success.
Register for the webinar here.
HF5242: Transportation supplemental budget bill is Rules and Administration for comparison with SF5284. I noticed the move today because there was a section added that would impact broadband workers…
Page 2, line 10, after “disabilities” insert “. In no case shall the workforce on a grant-funded broadband project include an illegal or undocumented worker. If an illegal or undocumented worker is found to be working on a project without employment authorization, the employer, general contractor, or foreman on the project shall be subject to the misclassification fines and penalties under section 181.723, subdivision 7, and section 326B.082, subdivisions 6, 7, 10, 11, and 13, as applicable”
Public News Service reports on some background supporting HF4659, a bill that sets safety standards for broadband industry installers…
Government leaders are acting with urgency to get underserved communities connected with high speed internet but in Minnesota, underground digging for broadband installation is emerging as a safety concern.
This spring, the think tank North Star Policy Action issued a report noting over the past three years, such installations were the leading cause of damage to buried infrastructure in the state.
Aaron Rosenthal, research director for the North Star Policy Action, said telecommunications crews are coming in contact with a maze of electric lines and natural gas pipes, with the drilling averaging more than 1.25 strikes a day.
“That’s a level of damage that we think is very concerning,” Rosenthal asserted. “It stands out from other industries and we believe needs to be addressed. Minnesotans should not have to choose between high speed internet and their own safety.”
The data is from a trade organization and Rosenthal warned because it is provided voluntarily, the full scope of damage is unclear. The authors contended workers receive inadequate training and a bill in the Legislature would beef up standards. Skeptics worry about effects such as derailing progress on broadband goals with a wave of federal funding spurring projects.
But the researchers and labor leaders predicted the accelerated pace of installations will result in more incidents.
Octavio Chung Bustamante, Minnesota and North Dakota field organizer and marketing representative for the Laborers’ International Union of North America, said the workers, many of whom are immigrants, are putting their lives at risk without getting a prevailing wage.
“When you talk about underground work — electric, or gas, or water and sewers — a lot of those workers, you know, they earn a good living,” Bustamante observed. “But it’s a different game for broadband work.”The legislative push also includes provisions to set fair wages for broadband installation workers. As for the data, a key state agency notes overall damage from utility excavation has trended downward. The researchers said it is a symptom of reporting requirement issues, underscoring their argument the information is incomplete.
Today was the final session of Broadband Development Tuesday Training Series: Navigating PLUS (Permitting, Land Use, and State Systems). In this training, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) cover information on the utility license application and process. (Content from the series is recorded and posted to the Office of Broadband Development’s webpage.)
Questions:
Is Forestry a separate division?
Yes. But we can coordinate with them.
Ecological water division is another division. We can help with coordination.
When will the PWI map be made into a GIS format?
Not in process now. We’re working on getting the application process and payment online.
About aerial – dealing with different areas. Is it better to go aerial or is boring OK too? Which is better overhead or trenching?
It depends on the case. Aerial isn’t always preferable in a nature reserve.
We want to limit natural resource impact.
Rules in natural area, try to avoid it, if you can’t bury it.
WDIO reports on broadband expansion in Northern Minnesota. Funding comes from CARES Act and local funding…
Broadening broadband called for a golden shovel moment on the Range on Tuesday.
The Northeast Service Cooperative is proud to be adding 136 route miles of fiber to their network.
They’ve been working on this project for years. It will mean expanded fiber to places like Kanabec and Pine County, and upgrades to Hibbing and Virginia.
Money for the $4.25 million dollar project is coming from the CARES Act and matching local money.
Lake States Construction is the contractor. Work could take two years, but weather permitting much of it can be done this year.