Port of Whitman proposal: Gov’s panel advances Pullman-Spokane fiber link

Chances the Port of Whitman County will receive funding to link Pullman and Spokane via fiber optic line increased last week, when Gov. Chris Gregoire endorsed a package of telecommunications projects for federal stimulus funding.

The port project is included in a $93 million package of projects from the Northwest Open Access Network. The package was one of 10 recommended by the governor’s office to receive funding through the federal government.

“Now it’s simply speculation as to what happens next,” said JoAnne Todd, communications director for the state Department of Information Services.

Ninety-three projects throughout the state were submitted to a panel of industry experts selected by Gov. Gregoire.

The Port of Whitman project could cost up to $21 million, with a large portion of that cost coming from the $93 million Northwest grant package.

“The governor has assembled a group of people that know what’s going on,” said Joe Poire, port executive director. He said he is acquainted with seven members of the panel.

The feds later this year are expected to decide how to distribute the broadband infrastructure funding made available through the American Relief and Recovery Act. The 10 nominated projects from the state total more than $175.6 million.

Todd said the state endorsement will carry a limited amount of weight in the federal decision.

“The feds will look at that, but we’re looking at it from a regional standpoint, in terms of what’s good for Washington,” said Todd. “They’re looking at it from what’s best for an entire network for the whole country.”

The port has spent $101,625 on feasibility studies for the project. State grants covered $50,000 of the consultant costs.

The project entails running a fiber optic line up the eastern side of Whitman County in the right-of-way of the 76-mile P&L line of the state-owned Palouse River and Coulee Railroad.

The port hopes such a line would make it affordable to provide high-speed internet service to towns along the railroad. The fiber line would be leased to telecommunications companies.

The line would also link a proposed supercomputer at the Pullman Innovation Partnership Zone with another proposed supercomputer at Spokane’s innovation zone.

The port has already laid fiber around the county. The agency invested more than $1.1 million in the infrastructure and expects to receive more than $225,000 in lease revenues this year.