新墨西哥州签下首份BEAD宽带协议：近2700万美元为北部五县3,935处地点铺光纤
位于新墨西哥州 Santa Fe 县的州府 Santa Fe 市消息：州宽带接入与扩展办公室（OBAE）10月14日宣布，该州首份联邦宽带公平、接入与部署计划（BEAD）补助协议已经签署，Kit Carson Electric Cooperative 获补助26,988,097美元，将在该州北部五县铺设光纤，为3,935处地点提供宽带接入；合作社另自筹逾1,200万美元配套资金，项目总投资接近4,000万美元。
据 OBAE 介绍，项目覆盖 Colfax、Rio Arriba、Sandoval、Santa Fe 与 Taos 五县，3,935处地点中1,970处属「无服务」地点（无网络或网速低于下行25Mbps、上行3Mbps），1,965处属「服务不足」地点，另含31家社区锚点机构，包括学校、图书馆、医疗中心与公共安全设施。建设计划铺设约1,035英里光纤，以架空敷设为主；据《Albuquerque Journal》报道，受益社区包括 Cuba、Peñasco、Chimayó、Eagle Nest、Questa、Velarde 与 Red River 等地。
OBAE 表示，这笔补助是全州授予15家服务商的19个 BEAD 项目中的第一个。此前该办公室曾暂定授出31个项目、覆盖逾42,500处地点，后因发现一家得标企业的员工涉嫌诈骗另一项州补助计划，撤销了对该企业的11项授出，另有一家得标方撤回一份申请；OBAE 正按 BEAD 规则为受影响地点重新遴选承建方。州长 Michelle Lujan Grisham 办公室今年1月曾宣布，联邦已批准3.82亿美元宽带基建资金、覆盖逾42,500处地点，该笔资金是新墨西哥州6.75亿美元联邦 BEAD 总额的一部分。
协议签署不等于立即开工或通网。Kit Carson 须先完成环境审查、许可、部落与历史保护认证及场地准备等前置程序，OBAE 将监督部署进度并要求合作社开展社区沟通。宽带办公室主任 Jeff Lopez 对 Source New Mexico 表示，项目目标在2030年完工，仅环境审查与许可就可能需要一至三年。（GSM 据新墨西哥州宽带接入与扩展办公室公告）
New Mexico Signs First BEAD Broadband Agreement: Nearly $27 Million to Bring Fiber to 3,935 Locations in Five Northern Counties
Santa Fe, in Santa Fe County, New Mexico: The state Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) announced on October 14 that New Mexico's first grant agreement under the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program has been signed. Kit Carson Electric Cooperative will receive $26,988,097 to build fiber service to 3,935 locations across five northern counties, and will contribute more than $12 million in matching funds, bringing the total investment to nearly $40 million.
According to OBAE, the project covers Colfax, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, Santa Fe and Taos counties. Of the 3,935 locations, 1,970 are classified as unserved (no internet service, or speeds below 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream) and 1,965 as underserved, along with 31 community anchor institutions including schools, libraries, medical centers and public-safety facilities. The construction plan calls for about 1,035 miles of fiber, carried largely overhead. The Albuquerque Journal reported that communities in the build area include Cuba, Peñasco, Chimayó, Eagle Nest, Questa, Velarde and Red River.
OBAE said the award is the first of 19 BEAD projects granted to 15 providers across New Mexico. The office had previously made provisional awards for 31 projects covering more than 42,500 locations, but rescinded 11 awards to a single awardee after finding evidence that an employee of that company had defrauded a separate state grant program, and one additional awardee withdrew an application; OBAE is selecting replacement awardees for the affected locations under BEAD rules. In January, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's office announced federal approval of $382 million for broadband infrastructure serving more than 42,500 locations, part of New Mexico's $675 million federal BEAD allocation.
Signing the agreement does not mean construction or service starts immediately. Kit Carson must first complete environmental reviews, permitting, Tribal and historic certifications and site preparation, while OBAE monitors deployment and the cooperative conducts community outreach. Broadband director Jeff Lopez told Source New Mexico that completion is targeted for 2030 and that environmental review and permitting alone could take one to three years. (GSM, based on the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion announcement)
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图片来源：图：乡村地区光纤铺设施工（资料图）。美国农业部乡村发展署，公共领域，维基共享资源。Photo: Fiber-optic cabling being installed in a rural area (file photo). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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