Broadband Infrastructure

Overview

Steptoe & Johnson has extensive experience assisting county commissions, municipalities, and utility cooperatives across multiple states in all types of infrastructure projects, including broadband expansion. Team attorneys are brought in early in the project development stage to help develop a broadband strategy, which often includes the exploration of funding options and public-private partnerships.

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Capabilities

Securing funding through federal and state grant programs
Entity formation
Tax and non-private status planning
Real estate and land use
Public-private partnerships
Contract review
Regulatory proceedings
Legislative representation

Representative Experience

Served as outside general counsel to 14-county consortium focused on the expansion of adequate broadband in central and southern West Virginia
Negotiated broadband operation and maintenance agreements between local governments and private-sector internet service providers
Provided counsel to a multi-county rural utility cooperative in developing a broadband utility, leveraging the largest USDA/RUS ReConnect grant ever awarded in West Virginia
Represented a fiber optic cable non-profit utility that provides high speed broadband access to over 50,0000 customers
Formed non-profits in support of technology-based economic development
Represented a financial institution in commercial loan structuring and documentation for a rural fiber optic infrastructure construction project
Advised a rural electric cooperative in the development of a broadband subsidiary
Provided real estate, right of way, and easement counsel for broadband expansion in rural communities
Represented an individual owner of a fiber-optic company in the sale of their business
Advised non-private utility providers in issues related to tax exemption