From the Archive: A David and Goliath Fight to Tap World Class Solar — Episode 75 of Local Energy Rules

Date: 25 Apr 2019 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States, Podcast | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In this episode of Local Energy Rules, we revisit an earlier episode from our archives in which ILSR’s Director of Energy Democracy, John Farrell speaks with Mariel Nanasi of New Mexico’s New Energy Economy about how the citizens of Santa Fe could benefit from the economic and environmental benefits of switching to a city-owned utility. … Read More

Fact Sheet on Minnesota’s Rural Digital Divide

Date: 5 Dec 2016 | posted in: information, MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The fact sheet highlights the great work that Minnesota cooperatives and municipalities have done to bring fast, affordable, reliable Internet service to rural areas throughout the state. They’ve built many Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) networks, but there is still much work to do. One in 4 Minnesotans lives in a rural area, and of those rural households, 43 … Read More

Fast, Affordable, Modern Broadband for North Carolina Fact Sheet

Date: 16 Feb 2016 | posted in: information, MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In North Carolina, state law effectively prohibits local communities from collaborating with neighbors or partnering to offer gigabit connectivity to residents, businesses, or anchor institutions. As a result, rural communities are unable to keep pace with the 21st century. The Coalition for Local Internet Choice North Carolina chapter (CLIC-NC) and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) … Read More

Op-ed: Next-Generation Networks Needed

Date: 12 Jan 2016 | posted in: MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The Knoxville News Sentinel published this op-ed about Tennessee’s restrictive broadband law on January 9, 2016. Christopher Mitchell: Next-Generation Networks Needed Four words in Tennessee law are denying an important element of Tennessee’s proud heritage and restricting choices for Internet access across the state. When private firms would not electrify Tennessee, public power came to the … Read More

Answering Questions About Title II and Munis – Community Broadband Bits Episode 138

Date: 18 Feb 2015 | posted in: MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

As we near the FCC open meeting at the end of next week, when it will decide on both the Chattanooga and Wilson petitions regarding their wish to expand as well as a proposal to reclassify Internet access a Title II service in order to ensure it can maintain the same open Internet we have long … Read More

Community Broadband Networks Map Fact Sheet 2015

Date: 9 Feb 2015 | posted in: information, MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

As of January 2015, more communities than ever before have realized the value of publicly owned broadband infrastructure. Many communities that choose to invest in publicly owned infrastructure do so because their needs are not met by large corporate providers. While some invest to bring reliable connectivity to local residents, others have no choice; businesses increasingly need high-speed … Read More

Bill to Boost Broadband in Minnesota Struggles in Legislature

Date: 3 Apr 2014 | posted in: information, MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In a revealing video about the Internet access problem in rural Minnesota, Annandale City Administrator Kelly Hinnenkamp describes her town’s struggle with connectivity. The video is the latest in a series on the Minnesota Senate DFL YouTube page intended to shed light on the critical situation in the state. Hinnenkamp describes broadband in the areas outside … Read More

Financing Municipal Networks Fact Sheet

Date: 5 Mar 2014 | posted in: information, MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

This fact sheet provides information on the most common ways local communities finance their municipal networks. When a community decides it needs to establish its own publicly owned network infrastructure, one of the biggest challenges is financing the investment. Each community is unique but three main methods of financing are most popular. This fact sheet offers … Read More

Bill to Limit Internet Investment Introduced in Kansas

Date: 30 Jan 2014 | posted in: information, MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Kansas is the latest legislative battle ground in the fight to preserve local self-reliance. The Kansas Legislature is taking up SB 304 to limit local municipalities’ authority to invest in publicly owned networks. While the language of the bill states the purpose is to “encourage widespread use of technological advances” for video and broadband at competitive … Read More

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