FIN accepted and approved by NTIA on 2/16/23.

FAST-41 Initiation Notice
Project Information

Title: Pueblo Education Network (Santa Fe Indian School, Inc.)
Project Location:
Country: United States
Street Address 1: 1501 Cerrillos Road City: Santa Fe
State: New Mexico Zip: 87505-3521
Additional Address
We will be attaching the attached maps to the application to show the path of the project. The map 
will also show the main jurisdictional boundaries for the entire pathway.
Project Coordinates Coordinates Latitude: 35.088665
Longitude: -106.652647
Add Additional Coordinates
We will be attaching the attached maps to the application. Total NM Department of Transportation 
Right of Way or Easements is approximately 66% of the 324 miles of project footprint.
Project Sponsor Contract Information
Company Name/Agency:
Santa Fe Indian School, Inc. Project Sponsor:
Santa Fe Indian School, Inc.
Street Address 1: 1501 Cerrillos Road City: Santa Fe
State: New Mexico Zip: 87505-3521
POC Name:
Kimball Sekaquaptewa POC Title:
SFIS PEN Project Director POC Work Phone:
505-795-1303
POC Email Address: kimball@sfis.k12.nm.us
Alternative Point of Contact (Optional)

FAST-41 Application for Santa Fe Indian School, Inc. NTIA TBCP: Pueblo Education Network

High Water Mark, LLC
Project Sponsor Contract Information Company Name/Agency:
Santa Fe Indian School, Inc. Project Sponsor:
Santa Fe Indian School, Inc.
Street Address 1: 1501 Cerrillos Road City: Santa Fe
State: New Mexico Zip: 87505-3521
POC Name; Phoebe Suina POC Work Phone 505-350-7731
POC Email Address:
Phoebe@high-watermark.com
Project Purpose
The Pueblo Education Network builds middle mile broadband infrastructure for tribes, enabling 
digital economy participation and effectuating last-mile internet access to homes and anchor 
institutions and tribal businesses. At the same time, the Pueblo Education Network creates a 
private education network connecting tribal PreK-20 schools and libraries to each other and to 
national research and education networks, modernizing Indian Education in the global information 
age.

Project Description
The overall footprint is approximately 324 miles. The project originates in Albuquerque, New Mexico 
at the BigByte data center located at 123 Central Ave NW, Albuquerque, NM. Starting at BigByte data 
center, there is a short lateral connecting to the University of New Mexico Albuquerque GigaPoP at 
505 Marquette, Albuquerque, NM utilizing existing pathway while the fiber backbone itself turns and 
follows Central Avenue east toward Interstate 25 within another existing New Mexico Department of 
Transportation right-of-way. Permits are required for the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico State 
Land Office and Bernalillo County for pathway considerations. The path follows Interstate 25 to 
Isleta Pueblo, entering Highway 47 proceeding South to Highway 47 to Isleta Pueblo.
Through Isleta Pueblo lands, the fiber path will run immediately adjacent to already established 
roads including Interstate 25, State Roads, County Roads, and Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal 
Roads. After exiting Isleta Pueblo lands, the fiber path will go south along Interstate 25 as it 
crosses Bureau of Land Management lands, Valencia County, Socorro County, Town of Socorro, and 
private lands. The fiber path then enters and goes through the Town of Socorro lands and follows 
existing roads, sidewalks, and utility corridors to State Highway 60. The fiber path then follows 
Highway 60 going southwest and west through Socorro County, private, Bureau of Land

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FAST-41 Application for Santa Fe Indian School, Inc. NTIA TBCP: Pueblo Education Network

Management, Bureau of Land Management Protective Management Areas, New Mexico State Land Office, 
until reaching County Road, approximately 1.7 miles west of Old New Mexico 52. At the intersection 
of County Road and Highway 60, the fiber path goes north along already established County Road, 
which is a dirt road, that crosses, Socorro County, New Mexico State Land Office, Bureau of Land 
Management, and private lands until it reaches the Acoma Pueblo southern boundary.
Through Acoma Pueblo lands, the fiber path will mostly run immediately adjacent to already 
established roads and dirt roads including County Road, Red Lake Road, Indian Service Route 21, 
Indian Service Route 37, Indian Service Route 38, Pinsbaari Drive (with laterals along Knots 
Landing, Sky City Road), Pueblo Road, Anzac Road, Interstate 40, and United States Route 66. Within 
Acoma Pueblo lands, per guidance from Acoma leadership, there is approximately three to four miles 
that will be off the existing road footprint crossing environmental and culturally sensitive areas. 
After exiting Acoma lands on the western boundary along Anzac Road, the fiber path will continue 
west immediately adjacent to Interstate 40 and through Cibola County until the fiber path 
intersects United States Route 66. The fiber path then continues northwest immediately adjacent to 
existing roads, sidewalks, and utility corridors along United States Route 66, West Santa Fe 
Avenue, 5th Street, San Jose Drive, State Road 53, and Ice Caves Road through Grants, New Mexico. 
After Grants, New Mexico, the fiber path continues south and west running immediately adjacent to 
State Road 53 through Cibola County, private lands, Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, 
New Mexico State Land Office, Navajo Nation lands at Ramah, and Zuni Pueblo lands. The proposed 
fiber path finally ends in Zuni Pueblo at the Zuni Elementary School, Zuni Head Start Building, 
Zuni Governor’s Office, and Zuni High School.
Technical and Financial Ability
The Pueblo Education Network project is the fourth regional fiber optic network constructed by the 
Santa Fe Indian School since 2016. The school has demonstrated technical ability in building two 
60-mile networks across six tribal nations and is currently constructing a 42-mile extension across 
six tribal nations to connect Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Through these projects, Santa 
Fe Indian School has proven to have the organizational capability to provide grant writing, project 
management, and fiscal oversight of these projects.
Under the Tribally Controlled School Act (25 U.S.C § 2501), Congress provided an Indian 
organization, like Santa Fe Indian School, the ability to exercise its tribal sovereignty and 
control when applying for and managing federal grants. For the implementation of this project, 
Santa Fe Indian School will be adhering to its Human Resource Policies and Procedures Manual and 
Manual of Accounting Policies and Procedures, and the federal requirements under 2 C.F.R. §
200. SFIS procurement follows a Santa Fe Indian School Board of Trustee approved policy, titled 
“Manual of Accounting Policies and Procedures” (November, 2019), as well as the federal 
requirements under 2 C.F.R. § 200. Procurement for this project will adhere to the procedures 
included in this procurement policy.

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FAST-41 Application for Santa Fe Indian School, Inc. NTIA TBCP: Pueblo Education Network

The Santa Fe Indian School, as the applicant and responsible project lead, is the entity that will 
be responsible for compliance with all federal, state, local government, and tribal requirements, 
including but not limited to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 23 C.F.R., 47 C.F.R., 49 
C.F.R., National Historic Preservation Act, environmental permitting, rights of way acquisition, 
easements, access permits, and construction permits. The SFIS Pueblo Education Network’s project is 
committed to mitigating and avoiding any adverse environmental, historical, or cultural impacts 
from any of its project activities.
Summary of Financing, Reviews and Authorizations
Please provide a description of any Federal financing, environmental reviews, and authorizations to 
be required to complete the proposed project. Summary of Financing, Reviews and Authorizations
Federal financing is provided through a National Telecommunications Information Administration 
Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program award of $57,298,683.09, with a project period of August 1, 
2022 through July 31, 2026 (as anticipated through the recently announced extended four-year 
project period). The current project timeline plans to complete the middle- mile fiber-optic 
project by December 2025, or 3.5 years.
The entire new fiber path and associated infrastructure will be within established road footprints, 
road easement footprints, sidewalk footprints, and established utility corridor footprints, except 
for a small linear footage within the Acoma Pueblo lands that is routed to avoid environmentally 
and culturally sensitive areas. For this area, construction and installation method will use boring 
methods that will minimize open trench digging. A single fiber segment that goes approximately 
three to four miles outside an existing road is on Acoma Pueblo lands (as shown in the map below). 
Based upon tribal consultation with the Acoma Pueblo leadership and Natural Resources Department 
staff, this path was selected to mitigate and minimize environmental and cultural impacts in the 
area.

Because this section of the fiber path is off an already disturbed footprint or existing roads, the 
project team will be performing in-depth threatened and endangered species review, migratory bird 
review, archaeological and cultural pedestrian survey, flood plain and wetlands survey in 
consultation with the Acoma Pueblo Tribal Historic Preservation Office, Acoma Pueblo Natural 
Resources Department, Acoma Pueblo leadership. In addition, the project team will also consult and 
work with the United States Army Corp of Engineers and United States Environmental Protection 
Agency to obtain any required permits, such as a 401 and 404 permit, if necessary.
In addition to the environmental permit requirements, the Pueblo Education Network’s project team 
has performed extensive research and consultation with landowners along the proposed fiber path and 
the project will require rights of way or easement approvals from the following landowners: City of 
Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, Bureau of Land Management, New 
Mexico State Land Office, National Park Service, United States Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife 
Service, New Mexico Department of Transportation, Town of Grants, Town of Socorro, Cibola County, 
Valencia, County, Socorro County, Private landowners,

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FAST-41 Application for Santa Fe Indian School, Inc. NTIA TBCP: Pueblo Education Network

Acoma Pueblo, Isleta Pueblo, Navajo Nation, and Zuni Pueblo. For the Navajo Nation and Pueblo 
Nations, the respective Bureau of Indian Affairs offices will also review and approve any easements 
or rights of ways across Tribal or Pueblo lands after the Pueblo or Tribal governing body has 
documented their tribal consent allowing a right of way or easement across their respective lands. 
Per 25 C.F.R. Part 169, each responsible Bureau of Indian Affairs office must approve a new use or 
new type of easement or rights of way across Tribal or Pueblo lands.
Environmental Assessment (National Environmental Protection Act and 47 C.F.R. § 1.1307 and § 
1.1311): National Telecommunications Information Administration, Federal
Communications Commission, Albuquerque, Grants, Socorro, Bernalillo, Cibola County, Socorro County, 
Valencia County, Bernalillo County, State Land Office, United State Forest Service, Fish and 
Wildlife Service, US Environmental Protection Agency, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Acoma Pueblo, Isleta Pueblo, Navajo Nation (Ramah), Navajo 
Nation Environmental Protection Agency, Zuni Pueblo, United States Army Corps of Engineers, New 
Mexico Environment Department, Acoma Tribal Historic Preservation Office, Isleta Tribal Historic 
Preservation Office, Zuni Tribal Historic Preservation Office, Navajo Nation Tribal Historic 
Preservation Office, and State Historic Preservation Office.
Designated Wilderness & Wildlife Preserve (Threatened and Endangered Species and Migratory Birds 
(National Environmental Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and 47 
C.F.R. § 1.1307 (a)) Historical, Cultural, and Archaeological (National Environmental Protection 
Act, National Historic Preservation Act, 47 C.F.R. § 1.1307 (a), and Nationwide Programmatic 
Agreement Cultural and Religious Impacts (National Environmental Protection Act, National Historic 
Preservation Act, 47 C.F.R. § 1.1307 (a), and NPA)) Floodplain, Waters of the United States 
(WOTUS), 401 Permit, 404 Permit, and Wetland Impacts (National Environmental Protection Act, Clean 
Water Act, 33 C.F.R. § 323, 44 C.F.R § 60.22, 47 C.F.R. § 1.1307 (a), Executive Order 11988, and 
National Flood Insurance Program, Lighting impacts (National Environmental Protection Act and 47 
C.F.R. § 1.1307 (a)) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Construction General Permit 
and Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (Clean Water Act and 40 C.F.R.).

Below is a table that helps to document some of the federal agencies and consulting stakeholders:

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Document,

Jurisdictional Stakeholders and/or Reviewers

FAST-41 Application for Santa Fe Indian School, Inc. NTIA TBCP: Pueblo Education Network

Permit, or Review Type Environmental Assessment

Designated wilderness impacts Designated wildlife preserve impacts Threatened and Endangered 
Species and Migratory Birds

Historical, Cultural, and Archaeological

Cultural and Religious Impacts

Floodplain, Waters of the US (WOTUS), 401
Permit, 404 Permit, and Wetland Impacts

NTIA, FCC, Albuquerque, Grants, Socorro, Bernalillo, Cibola County, Socorro County, Valencia 
County, Bernalillo County, State Land Office (SLO), United State Forest Service (USFS), Fish and 
Wildlife Service (FWS), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Park Service (NPS), 
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Acoma Pueblo, Isleta Pueblo, 
Navajo Nation (Ramah), Navajo Nation (EPA), Zuni Pueblo, US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), NM 
Environment Department (NMED), Acoma Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO), Isleta THPO, Zuni 
THPO, Navajo Nation THPO, and State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) NTIA, FCC, USFS, and FWS

NTIA, FCC, USFS, and FWS

NTIA, FCC, SLO, USFS, FWS, BIA, BLM, NPS, Acoma Pueblo,
Isleta Pueblo, Navajo Nation (Ramah), Zuni Pueblo, USACE, and NMED

NTIA, FCC, Albuquerque, Grants, Socorro, Bernalillo, Cibola County, Socorro County, Valencia 
County, Bernalillo County, SLO, USFS, FWS, BIA, BLM, NPS, Acoma Pueblo, Isleta Pueblo, Navajo 
Nation (Ramah), Navajo Nation (EPA), Zuni Pueblo, USACE, NMED, US EPA, Acoma THPO, Isleta THPO, 
Zuni
THPO, Navajo Nation THPO, and SHPO

NTIA, FCC, Albuquerque, Grants, Socorro, Bernalillo, Cibola County, Socorro County, Valencia 
County, Bernalillo County, SLO, USFS, FWS, BIA, BLM, NPS, Acoma Pueblo, Isleta Pueblo, Navajo 
Nation (Ramah), Navajo Nation (EPA), Zuni Pueblo, USACE, NMED, US EPA, Acoma THPO, Isleta THPO, 
Zuni
THPO, Navajo Nation THPO, and SHPO

NTIA, FCC, Albuquerque, Grants, Socorro, Bernalillo, Cibola County, Socorro County, Valencia 
County, Bernalillo County, SLO, USFS, FWS, BIA, BLM, NPS, Acoma Pueblo, Isleta Pueblo, Navajo 
Nation (Ramah), Navajo Nation (EPA), Zuni Pueblo, USACE, NMED, US EPA, Acoma THPO, Isleta THPO, 
Zuni
THPO, Navajo Nation THPO, and SHPO

Agency Responsible for Approval

NTIA

USFS

USFS and FWS

SLO, USFS, FWS, BIA,
BLM, Acoma Pueblo, Isleta Pueblo, Navajo Nation (Ramah), Navajo Nation (EPA), Zuni Pueblo, USACE, 
and NMED
BIA, Acoma (THPO),
Isleta (THPO), Zuni (THPO), Navajo Nation (THPO), and SHPO

BIA, Acoma (THPO),
Isleta (THPO), Zuni (THPO), Navajo Nation (THPO), and SHPO

SLO, USFS, FWS, BIA,
BLM, NPS, Acoma Pueblo, Isleta Pueblo, Navajo Nation (Ramah), Navajo Nation (EPA), Zuni Pueblo, 
USACE, NMED, US EPA,
Acoma (THPO), Isleta (THPO), Zuni (THPO),
Navajo Nation (THPO), and SHPO

Act, Regulation, or Requirement

NEPA and 47 C.F.R.
§ 1.1307 and § 1.1311

NEPA and 47 C.F.R.
§ 1.1307 (a)

NEPA and 47 C.F.R.
§ 1.1307 (a)

NEPA, Endangered Species Act (ESA), Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and 47
C.F.R. § 1.1307 (a)

NEPA, National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), 47 C.F.R. §
1.1307 (a), and Nationwide Programmatic Agreement (NPA) NEPA, NHPA, 47
C.F.R. § 1.1307 (a),
and NPA

NEPA, Clean Water Act (CWA), 33
C.F.R. § 323, 44
C.F.R § 60.22, 47
C.F.R. § 1.1307 (a),
Executive Order 11988, and National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

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FAST-41 Application for Santa Fe Indian School, Inc.
NTIA TBCP: Pueblo Education Network
Page 7 of 7
Project Assessment
As defined in 42 U.S.C. Section 4370m(6)(A) of the Fixing American’s Surface Transportation (FAST) 
Act, this project falls under the definition of eligible project as a project sponsored by an 
Indian Tribe (as defined in section 5304 of title 25), an Alaska Native Corporation, a Native 
Hawaiian organization (as defined in section 7517 of title 20), the Department of Hawaiian Home 
Lands, or the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
Form Submitter Contact Information Name:
Phoebe K. Suina Title:
Project Manager and Environmentalist Specialist Work Phone:
505-350-7731
Email:
phoebe@high-watermark.com
Document, Permit, or Review Type
Lighting impacts

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Construction General Permit and Storm Water 
Pollution Prevention Plan
Jurisdictional Stakeholders and/or Reviewers

NTIA, FCC, Albuquerque, Bernalillo County

NTIA, FCC, Albuquerque, Grants, Socorro, Bernalillo, Cibola County, Socorro County, Valencia 
County, Bernalillo County, SLO, USFS, FWS, BIA, BLM, NPS, Acoma Pueblo, Isleta Pueblo, Navajo 
Nation (Ramah), Navajo Nation (EPA), Zuni Pueblo, USACE, NMED, and US EPA
Agency Responsible for Approval

FCC

US EPA
Act, Regulation, or Requirement

NEPA and 47 C.F.R.
§ 1.1307 (a)
CWA and 40 C.F.R.
 (SWPPP)