Project Information: Title: Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project Sector: Broadband. Type: Tribal Broadband. Universal Service Fund E-Rate Special Construction Funding Location: Navajo Nation – New Mexico Project Sponsor Name: Navajo Nation Broadband Office Contact Information: Applicant: Sonia Nez, Department Manager Navajo Nation Broadband Office Post Office Box 7440 Window Rock, Arizona 86515 Phone: (928) 810-9201 E-Mail: sonianez@navajo-nsn.gov
Contactors: Rebecca Mirabal
Engineering Construction Program Manager
Sacred Wind Communications, Inc.
5901 J-Wyoming BLVD NE #266
Albuquerque, NM 87109
Phone: 505-905-6087
E-Mail: Rebecca.mirabal@commnetbroadband.com
Paul Tavella
Senior Manager Construction
Sacred Wind Communications, Inc.
5901 J-Wyoming BLVD NE #266
Albuquerque, NM 87109
Phone: 505-238-3598
E-Mail: paul.tavella1@commnetbroadband.com Statement of the purposes and objectives of the project Gallup McKinley County Schools is a public school district located in McKinley County, New Mexico. Geographically, GMCS is one of the largest school districts in the continental United States, covering approximately 4,857 square miles. Approximately 90 percent of the student population is Native American, and a significant portion of those are Navajo. GMCS currently operates 45 facilities throughout the county, including elementary schools, middle and high schools, special education centers, alternative schools, and administrative offices. GMCS has approximately 1,880 employees, including teachers, administrators, and support personnel, and approximately 11,400 students
The Gallup McKinley County School proposes to deploy a reliable, affordable, scalable, and future-proofed broadband network that bridges the digital divide for the foreseeable future in one of the most remote, tribal, isolated, high-cost, and difficult to serve areas of the United States. The Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project consists of constructing a 65 miles of middle mile fiber optic network on the Navajo Nation to connect the school district with high-speed Internet connectivity to speeds of 1 Gbps or greater. The Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project will benefit not only the students in the school district but also the educators, Native Elders, mentors, anchor institutions, health care providers, public health and safety entities, and small businesses because the proposed middle mile network will form the back bone for connectivity of all these groups. The project objectives are to (1) improve educational opportunities; (2) bring new opportunities for distance learning and education, telemedicine, public health and safety, employment and remote work capabilities and rural economic development; (3) provide an essential tool for cultural survival acting as a hub for language preservation; and (4) connect youth and adults with culture-bearing Native Elders, mentors, and networking resources. Concise description including general location and/or a summary of geospatial information, if available, and the locations, if any, of environmental, cultural, and historic resources As depicted below the Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project is part of a collection of projects to extend and expand middle mile fiber connectivity on the Navajo Nation.
It is anticipated that permits, authorizations or consultations will be required from the following agencies:
Permitting Agencies
Navajo Nation Heritage and Historic Preservation
Navajo Nation Fish and Wildlife Department
National Environmental Protection Agency
Navajo Nation Land Department
Bureau of Indian Affairs Real Estate
Bureau of Indian Affairs Roads Department
Bureau of Land Management
Statement regarding the technical and financial ability of the project sponsor to construct the proposed project Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project is funded via a combination of Federal Universal Service Fund E-Rate Program funding, private capital and school district funds. The E-Rate Program funding amount for the project is approximately $3.6M. Sponsor, The Navajo Nation Broadband Office (NNBBO) was established to provide the Navajo Nation Residents with access to affordable high-speed broadband connectivity by developing a comprehensive strategic broadband plan for the Navajo Nation and working with the Navajo Nation and outside vendors to achieve broadband initiatives. The NNBBO represents the Navajo Nation government’s best interests in negotiating with developers seeking to provide broadband services in the Navajo Nation by; centralizing and streamlining the planning, actively seeking funding, serving as the sole conduit of information regarding funds for broadband infrastructure projects in the Navajo Nation: including but not limited to maps, access points, connection speeds, rights-of-way, and lease and connection rates for all existing and future broadband infrastructure projects in the Navajo Nation.
Sacred Wind Communications, Inc. (Sacred Wind) was selected via a competitive bidding process to construct the proposed network. Sacred Wind was established in 2006 and has been constructing broadband networks on the Navajo Nation. Sacred Wind is committed to extending broadband to rural and Tribal communities in New Mexico. Statement of any Federal Financing, environmental reviews, and authorizations anticipated to be required As described above, the Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project is funded via a combination of Federal Universal Service Fund E-Rate Program funding, private capital and school district funds. The E-Rate Program funding amount for the project is approximately $3.6M. Sacred Wind is required to complete all environmental assessments before it can begin construction. The planned fiber route crosses several different types of land status (Tribal, federal, state- and privately-owned lands), a scenario often described as a “checkerboard” jurisdictional area. For that reason, Sacred Wind has had to seek rights-of-way and other permissions from numerous entities: the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Bureau of Land Management, the Navajo Nation Heritage and Historic Preservation Department, the Navajo Nation Fish and Wildlife Department, the Navajo Nation Land Department, the State of New Mexico Land Department, and the New Mexico Department of Transportation. In addition, a large portion of the route lies on Tribal land consisting of “allotments” to individual families. Obtaining rights-of-way on these allotments requires the collection of signatures from individual
landowners. Because few of these landowners live on their allotted property, locating the landowners, delivering the required letters of intent, obtaining the necessary signatures, and negotiating the terms of the rights-of-way with the landowners—has been a significant undertaking. Sacred Wind is proud that it has completed that process even though it took nearly three years to complete (the BIA has told Sacred Wind that this application involves the highest number of “allottees” ever submitted to the BIA for review and approval of a construction right-of-way). Assessment that the project meets the definition of a covered project as defined in 42 U.S.C. §4370m(6)(A) of the FAST Act and a statement of reasons supporting the assessment.
The Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project meets the definition of a “covered project” as defined in 42 U.S.C. §4370m(6)(A) as follows:
1.
Consistent with 42 U.S.C. §4370m(6)(A) the Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project requires authorization or environmental review by a federal agency for the construction of broadband infrastructure.
2. Consistent with 42 U.S.C. §4370m(6)(A) (III), the Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project is
(I) subject to NEPA
(II) sponsored by the Navajo Nation
(III) located on land owned or under the jurisdiction of the Navajo Nation.

Will be posted by the lead agency.

Project Information: Title: Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project Sector: Broadband. Type: Tribal Broadband. Universal Service Fund E-Rate Special Construction Funding Location: Navajo Nation – New Mexico Project Sponsor Name: Navajo Nation Broadband Office Contact Information: Applicant: Sonia Nez, Department Manager Navajo Nation Broadband Office Post Office Box 7440 Window Rock, Arizona 86515 Phone: (928) 810-9201 E-Mail: sonianez@navajo-nsn.gov Contactors: Rebecca Mirabal Engineering Construction Program Manager Sacred Wind Communications, Inc. 5901 J-Wyoming BLVD NE #266 Albuquerque, NM 87109 Phone: 505-905-6087 E-Mail: Rebecca.mirabal@commnetbroadband.com Paul Tavella Senior Manager Construction Sacred Wind Communications, Inc. 5901 J-Wyoming BLVD NE #266 Albuquerque, NM 87109 Phone: 505-238-3598 E-Mail: paul.tavella1@commnetbroadband.com Statement of the purposes and objectives of the project Gallup McKinley County Schools is a public school district located in McKinley County, New Mexico. Geographically, GMCS is one of the largest school districts in the continental United States, covering approximately 4,857 square miles. Approximately 90 percent of the student population is Native American, and a significant portion of those are Navajo. GMCS currently operates 45 facilities throughout the county, including elementary schools, middle and high schools, special education centers, alternative schools, and administrative offices. GMCS has approximately 1,880 employees, including teachers, administrators, and support personnel, and approximately 11,400 students The Gallup McKinley County School proposes to deploy a reliable, affordable, scalable, and future-proofed broadband network that bridges the digital divide for the foreseeable future in one of the most remote, tribal, isolated, high-cost, and difficult to serve areas of the United States. The Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project consists of constructing a 65 miles of middle mile fiber optic network on the Navajo Nation to connect the school district with high-speed Internet connectivity to speeds of 1 Gbps or greater. The Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project will benefit not only the students in the school district but also the educators, Native Elders, mentors, anchor institutions, health care providers, public health and safety entities, and small businesses because the proposed middle mile network will form the back bone for connectivity of all these groups. The project objectives are to (1) improve educational opportunities; (2) bring new opportunities for distance learning and education, telemedicine, public health and safety, employment and remote work capabilities and rural economic development; (3) provide an essential tool for cultural survival acting as a hub for language preservation; and (4) connect youth and adults with culture-bearing Native Elders, mentors, and networking resources. Concise description including general location and/or a summary of geospatial information, if available, and the locations, if any, of environmental, cultural, and historic resources As depicted below the Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project is part of a collection of projects to extend and expand middle mile fiber connectivity on the Navajo Nation. It is anticipated that permits, authorizations or consultations will be required from the following agencies: See Map Below Permitting Agencies Navajo Nation Heritage and Historic Preservation Navajo Nation Fish and Wildlife Department National Environmental Protection Agency Navajo Nation Land Department Bureau of Indian Affairs Real Estate Bureau of Indian Affairs Roads Department Bureau of Land Management Statement regarding the technical and financial ability of the project sponsor to construct the proposed project Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project is funded via a combination of Federal Universal Service Fund E-Rate Program funding, private capital and school district funds. The E-Rate Program funding amount for the project is approximately $3.6M. Sponsor, The Navajo Nation Broadband Office (NNBBO) was established to provide the Navajo Nation Residents with access to affordable high-speed broadband connectivity by developing a comprehensive strategic broadband plan for the Navajo Nation and working with the Navajo Nation and outside vendors to achieve broadband initiatives. The NNBBO represents the Navajo Nation government’s best interests in negotiating with developers seeking to provide broadband services in the Navajo Nation by; centralizing and streamlining the planning, actively seeking funding, serving as the sole conduit of information regarding funds for broadband infrastructure projects in the Navajo Nation: including but not limited to maps, access points, connection speeds, rights-of-way, and lease and connection rates for all existing and future broadband infrastructure projects in the Navajo Nation. Sacred Wind Communications, Inc. (Sacred Wind) was selected via a competitive bidding process to construct the proposed network. Sacred Wind was established in 2006 and has been constructing broadband networks on the Navajo Nation. Sacred Wind is committed to extending broadband to rural and Tribal communities in New Mexico. Statement of any Federal Financing, environmental reviews, and authorizations anticipated to be required As described above, the Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project is funded via a combination of Federal Universal Service Fund E-Rate Program funding, private capital and school district funds. The E-Rate Program funding amount for the project is approximately $3.6M. Sacred Wind is required to complete all environmental assessments before it can begin construction. The planned fiber route crosses several different types of land status (Tribal, federal, state- and privately-owned lands), a scenario often described as a “checkerboard” jurisdictional area. For that reason, Sacred Wind has had to seek rights-of-way and other permissions from numerous entities: the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Bureau of Land Management, the Navajo Nation Heritage and Historic Preservation Department, the Navajo Nation Fish and Wildlife Department, the Navajo Nation Land Department, the State of New Mexico Land Department, and the New Mexico Department of Transportation. In addition, a large portion of the route lies on Tribal land consisting of “allotments” to individual families. Obtaining rights-of-way on these allotments requires the collection of signatures from individual landowners. Because few of these landowners live on their allotted property, locating the landowners, delivering the required letters of intent, obtaining the necessary signatures, and negotiating the terms of the rights-of-way with the landowners—has been a significant undertaking. Sacred Wind is proud that it has completed that process even though it took nearly three years to complete (the BIA has told Sacred Wind that this application involves the highest number of “allottees” ever submitted to the BIA for review and approval of a construction right-of-way). Assessment that the project meets the definition of a covered project as defined in 42 U.S.C. §4370m(6)(A) of the FAST Act and a statement of reasons supporting the assessment. The Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project meets the definition of a “covered project” as defined in 42 U.S.C. §4370m(6)(A) as follows: 1. Consistent with 42 U.S.C. §4370m(6)(A) the Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project requires authorization or environmental review by a federal agency for the construction of broadband infrastructure. 2. Consistent with 42 U.S.C. §4370m(6)(A) (III), the Gallup McKinley County Schools E-Rate Funded Broadband Project is (I) subject to NEPA (II) sponsored by the Navajo Nation (III) located on land owned or under the jurisdiction of the Navajo Nation.