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Rep. Fletcher Appointed to New Broadband Advisory Council

AUGUSTA – State Rep. Ken Fletcher has been appointed to the newly created Broadband Strategy Council, which will play a key advisory role in expanding broadband Internet service to all corners of Maine.

Rep. Fletcher (R-Winslow) is one of five legislators on the 11-member council. The group will work with the ConnectME Authority to efficiently leverage federal stimulus funds and public and private monies to build the infrastructure required to bring fast Internet service to areas that are currently unserved or underserved, primarily rural parts of the state. Rep. Fletcher was appointed to this post by House Speaker Hannah Pingree.

“The entire project could be compared to the campaign in earlier years to bring universal telephone and electricity service to all areas of the country,” said Rep. Fletcher, a four-term veteran of the Utilities and Energy Committee, where he currently serves as the ranking Republican member. “It’s a very worthy project in terms of economic development and I’m excited about being part of it.”

The council was established this year by LD 1012 with the goal of advising the ConnectME Authority on all matters pertaining to broadband opportunities available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) – the stimulus package. Another objective is to work with the University of Maine system with respect to the lease or sale of excess broadband capacity as a result of the conversion of the education broadband spectrum from analog to digital.

“It will be important to utilize the excess capacity from the UMaine system to target areas that would not normally be served by the private sector,” Rep. Fletcher said. “We must realize that the public money used to create the UMaine capacity must produce a valued return in a way that the net result for the state is optimized.”

According to the implementing legislation, the council’s duties range from identifying broadband funding opportunities contained in the ARRA to promoting fair and open competition in the delivery of broadband service. The group also will make recommendations for a strategic broadband infrastructure plan and foster public-private cooperation and co-investment in broadband deployment.

The ConnectME Authority was established in 2006, based on legislation by Governor John Baldacci, with the objective of spurring private investment in broadband and cellular service in Maine.

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