Santa Barbara County Last-Mile Broadband Program Environmental Impact Report

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

SBCAG is preparing a Programmatic Environmental Impact report (PEIR) for the Santa Barbara County Last-Mile Broadband Program (Broadband Program or Project) that would facilitate the future expansion of high-speed broadband internet network throughout the County of Santa Barbara (County). The Project would facilitate the implementation of future broadband infrastructure installations in various communities across the County that are currently underserved or unserved by high-speed broadband internet services. The Project involves last-mile broadband installations that have already been designed for nine such communities identified as Priority Areas for broadband service under the Broadband Program. The broadband facility installations could include both underground and aerial fiber optic cable as part of proposed “last-mile” broadband facilities, which are intended to reach end users in these affected communities. These last-mile facilities would provide connections to end users in communities across the County and connect from the State of California’s “middle-mile” broadband network (Statewide Middle Mile Network) currently being implemented by the California Department of Technology (CDT).

In general, the new fiber optic lines would be installed underground following public or private roadways with the intention to minimize or avoid disturbance of roadway surfaces wherever feasible. However, it is possible some fiber optic lines could be installed directly under roadways in areas with limited shoulder space or where existing conduit under the road may be used, thus avoiding new surface disturbance. The Project also includes installation and construction activities within those areas where lateral lines are installed between public or private roadways and individual businesses or residences. Individual residence or business connections typically would be installed within previously disturbed and/or developed areas (e.g., adjacent to driveways or in landscaped areas), and generally would avoid drainages and sensitive habitats. Lateral alignments would typically follow other utility installations. Although not anticipated, where subsurface installation of fiber optic cable is infeasible, aerial installation along existing utility poles will be undertaken.

Components to be installed/constructed within the nine Priority Areas include the following: broadband conduit (i.e., rigid casing to protect fiber optic cables from physical damage and the elements) with diameters between ¾-inch and 2 inches to be installed within road rights-of-way (ROWs); aboveground, prefabricated walk-in hut/shelters made of aggregate wall materials; small aboveground steel distribution cabinets/enclosures; distribution fiber, splice points, and drops; drop hubs; and small underground structures such as hand holes. Additional Project components that may be necessary to connect end-users to the middle-mile broadband network may include utility poles with aerial fiber and connection points, underground fiber markers, and signage.

Once constructed, the broadband network components would generally operate passively, with only incidental maintenance typically consisting of weed abatement and periodic accessing of hand holes and splice cases from the ground surface along a given alignment.

RESOURCES