NTIA has determined more time is needed to prepare and finalize the document that will conclude the NEPA process and is therefore extending the final NEPA completion date. The NEPA date change impacts the timing of cooperating agency dependent actions, including the BLM right-of-way action.
Cooperating under NEPA
Milestones:
An “informal” application/Plan of Development (POD) submittal date of 2/29/24 is planned and was agreed upon by SFIS and the cooperating agencies.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
:
EA Process Concluded (Agency Action)
- Current Target Date: 09/15/2025
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
:
EA Process Concluded (Agency Action)
- Current Target Date: 09/15/2025
All dates below are specific to the schedule of the Environmental Review and Permitting processes for this project.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING STATUS
IN PROGRESS
ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING
01/31/2026
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING PROCESSES
COMPLETED
SECTOR
Broadband
CATEGORY
Project Category
FAST-41 Covered Projects
LEAD AGENCY
Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration
View FAST-41 Postings by Agencies
Other Agencies with Actions or Authorizations:
Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
Department of the Army, US Army Corps of Engineers - Regulatory
Department of the Interior, National Park Service
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs
Description:
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. The Pueblo Education Network also 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. The overall footprint is approximately 324 miles. The project originates in Albuquerque, New Mexico and travels through Isleta Pueblo, Acoma Pueblo, and Zuni Pueblo lands with the fiber path ending at the at the Zuni Elementary School, Zuni Head Start Building, Zuni Governor’s Office, and Zuni High School. The fiber path will primarily be immediately adjacent to already established roads and will travel through private lands, Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, New Mexico State Land Office, Navajo Nation lands at Ramah, and Zuni Pueblo lands.
The Executive Director granted a National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), request to extend the NEPA; Section 106; Right-of-Way (BLM); NPS Permit; Right-of-Way (FWS Sevilleta NWR); ESA-FWS; Section 404 final completion dates on December 28, 2023. The Executive Director determination is posted here.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
:
EA Process Concluded (Agency Action)
- Current Target Date: 09/15/2025
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
:
EA Process Concluded (Agency Action)
- Current Target Date: 09/15/2025
Original Target Date: 07/31/2024
Milestone: Final decision/agency action (Agency Action)
Requested extensions greater than 30 days for this Action are shown below:
Final decision/agency action (Agency Action) extended by 137
From: 11/15/2024
To: 12/15/2024