Source: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.cfm?URL=/docs/2008/bills/house/H-248.HTM
Timestamp: 2018-06-23 02:53:18
Document Index: 180513827

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 8072', '§ 212', '§ 221', '§ 2601', '§ 2502', '§ 841', '§ 843', '§ 4412']

(3) A new level of creative and innovative strategies (including partnerships and collaborations among and between state entities, municipalities, the federal government and the private sector) is necessary to extend and complete broadband coverage in the state.
(4) When such partnerships and collaborations fail to achieve the goal of providing high-quality broadband access and service to all areas and households, it is necessary for an authority of the state to support and facilitate the construction of infrastructure and access to broadband service through financial and other incentives.
(5) The universal availability of adequate mobile telecommunications and broadband services promotes the general good of the state.
(3) the continued investment in telecommunications infrastructure in the state which will support the best available and economically feasible technology.
(2) the commissioner of the department of information and innovation;
(3) the secretary of transportation or his or her designee;
(4) one representative from the Vermont league of cities and towns;
(5) two at-large members appointed by the speaker of the house, who may not be members of the general assembly at the time of appointment;
(6) two at-large members appointed by the committee on committees of the senate, who may not be members of the general assembly at the time of appointment;
(7) two at-large members appointed by the governor, who may not be employees or officers of state government at the time of appointment; and
(8) one member appointed jointly by the governor, the speaker of the house, and the president pro tempore of the senate, who shall be chair of the board of directors, and who may not be a member of the general assembly or an employee or officer of the state at the time of appointment.
(d) In making appointments of at-large members and the chair, the appointing authorities shall give consideration to citizens of the state with knowledge of telecommunications technology, telecommunications regulatory law, transportation rights-of-way and infrastructure, finance, and environmental permitting. The six at-large members and the chair shall serve terms of four years beginning July 1 of the year of appointment. However, one of the at-large members first appointed by the speaker, one of the at large members first appointed by the committee on committees and one of the at large members first appointed by the governor shall serve an initial term of two years. Any vacancy occurring among the at large members or the chair shall be filled by the respective appointing authority and be filled for the balance of the unexpired term. A member may be reappointed.
(e) The authority shall employ an executive director who shall serve as the authority’s chief administrative officer and shall direct and supervise the authority’s administrative affairs and technical activities in accordance with any rules, regulations, and policies set forth by the authority. In addition to any other duties, the executive director shall:
(a) The authority shall ensure that the goals of the general assembly, set out in subsection 8060(b) of this title, to provide all residences and businesses in all regions of the state with access to affordable broadband services and to ensure the ubiquitous availability of mobile voice and high-speed data telecommunications services are achieved not later than the end of the year 2010;
(b) To achieve these goals, the authority is directed to:
(1) develop and maintain an inventory of locations at which mobile telecommunications and broadband services are not available within the state, and develop and maintain an inventory of infrastructure necessary for provision of these services to the areas unserved;
(2) identify the types and locations of infrastructure and services needed to accomplish the goals of this chapter;
(3) coordinate the agencies of the state to make public resources available to support the extension of mobile telecommunications and broadband infrastructure and services to all unserved areas;
(4) coordinate and establish public-private partnerships to extend availability of mobile telecommunications and broadband services, and to promote development of the infrastructure that enables the provision of these services;
(5) support and facilitate local initiatives to extend the availability of mobile telecommunications and broadband services, and to promote development of the infrastructure that enables the provision of these services;
(6) provide resources to local, regional, public and private entities in the form of loans, grants, and other incentives funded through bonded capital and other resources; and
(7) solicit and consider input from local municipal authorities and regional planning commissions on specific projects the authority plans to undertake.
(c) The authority shall have the following powers and duties, which shall be exercised to further the authority’s purpose, and shall have all other powers necessary to carry out the duties imposed on the authority by law:
(3) to consult, contract, or partner with the Vermont economic development authority and the Vermont municipal bond bank to provide financial assistance for purposes authorized by this chapter; and to coordinate access to and pursue all state, federal and private funding that is available for telecommunications infrastructure, including financial assistance that may be available to rural economic area partnership (REAP) zones, as designated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and to contract with financial assistance providers;
(4) to receive and accept grants, gifts, loans, or contributions from any source subject to the provisions of 32 V.S.A. § 5.
(5) to incorporate one or more nonprofit corporations in Vermont to fulfill the goals of this chapter. Such corporations shall be empowered to borrow money and to receive and accept gifts, grants, or contributions from any source, subject to the provisions of 32 V.S.A. § 5. The board of directors of the any nonprofit corporation created under this subsection shall be the board of directors of the authority. The corporation shall be organized and operate under the nonprofit corporation laws of the state of Vermont. The authority may contract with the corporation to provide staff and management needs of the corporation;
(6) to aggregate and broker access at reduced prices to services and facilities required to provide wireless telecommunications and broadband services; and to waive or reduce state fees for access to state‑owned rights‑of‑way in exchange for comparable value to the state, unless payment for use is otherwise required by federal law;
(7) to own, acquire, sell, trade, and lease equipment, facilities and other infrastructure that could be accessed and used by multiple service providers, the state and local governments, including fiber optic cables, towers, shelters, easements, rights of way, and wireless spectrum of frequencies; provided that any agreement by the authority to sell infrastructure that is capable of use by more than one service provider shall contain conditions that will ensure continued shared use or co-location at reasonable rates;
(8) in collaboration with the Vermont municipal bond bank, to act as agent and advisor for municipalities that wish to offer municipally backed financial assistance, consistent with chapter 53 of Title 24, to develop telecommunications infrastructure or services in their communities;
(9) to apply for and obtain required permits for the construction of telecommunications infrastructure;
(10) in collaboration with the agency of administration, to lead the management of marketing of state properties to encourage and expedite collocation of infrastructure;
(11) to consult with agencies and departments on establishing charges or payments for use by wireless telecommunications and broadband service providers of state property, easements, and rights‑of‑way to the extent such charges or payments are required by law, and establish the criteria for waiver of such charges or payments when providers offer to furnish comparable value to the state to meet the public good;
(12) to sue and be sued in its own name and plead and be impleaded;
(13) to administer its own funds and to invest or deposit funds which are not needed currently to meet the obligations of the authority; and
(14) to borrow money and give other evidence of indebtedness or obligations and security consistent with the authority’s purpose and needs.
(d) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to grant power to the authority to offer the sale of telecommunications services to the public.
(c) To the extent that the authority issues loans, it shall consult and coordinate lending programs with the Vermont economic development authority and with the Vermont municipal bond bank and shall ensure that the lending activities of the authority and the Vermont economic development authority and Vermont municipal bond bank are not in competition.
(d) No instrumentality of the state shall sell, lease, or otherwise divest itself of ownership or control of radio frequency spectrum without prior notice to and approval of the authority.
(a)(1) The authority may issue its negotiable notes and bonds in such principal amount as the authority determines to be necessary to provide sufficient funds for achieving any of its corporate purposes, including the payment of interest on notes and bonds of the authority, establishment of reserves to secure the notes and bonds including the reserve funds created under section 8065 of this title, and all other expenditures of the authority incident to and necessary or convenient to carry out its corporate purposes and powers. However, the bonds or notes of the authority outstanding at any one time shall not exceed $40,000,000.00. No bonds shall be issued under this section without the prior approval of the governor and the state treasurer or their respective designees.
(b) The notes and bonds shall be authorized by resolution or resolutions of the authority, shall bear such date or dates and shall mature at such time or times as the resolution or resolutions may provide, except that no bond shall mature more than 30 years from the date of its issue. The bonds may be issued as serial bonds or as term bonds or as a combination thereof. The notes and bonds shall bear interest at such rate or rates or the manner of determining such rate or rates, as provided in sections 1881-1887 of Title 24, be in such denominations, be in such form, either coupon or registered, carry such registration privileges, be executed in such manner, be payable in such medium of payment, at such place or places within or without the state, and be subject to such terms of redemption as the resolution or resolutions may provide; provided, however, that at the time of the authorization of the issuance of such bonds or notes the authority determines in such resolution that the authority will derive receipts, revenues, or other income from the facilities or projects to be financed with the proceeds of such bonds or notes sufficient to provide, together with all other available receipts, revenues, and income of the authority, for the payment of such bonds or notes and the payment of all costs and expenses incurred by the authority with respect to the program or purpose for which such bonds or notes are issued and all other expenses of the authority incurred under this title. The notes and bonds of the authority may be sold by the authority at public or private sale, at such price or prices as the authority shall determine.
§ 8072. LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT REPORTS
(a) In addition to the annual and audit reports required by section 8071 of this title, the authority shall provide initial legislative oversight reports to the general assembly on or before January 1, 2008, July 1, 2008, January 1, 2009, and July 1, 2009. Each legislative oversight report shall contain:
(A) An assessment of the authority's capabilities to perform the powers granted the authority, and to contribute to the improvement of broadband service availability and mobile telecommunications service coverage in the state; and
(12) A description of the extent of the authority's assistance to and participation in proceedings before local zoning and development review boards, district environmental commissions, or project applicants seeking to construct or alter communications facilities located in the state.
(b) On or before December 31, 2010, the authority shall make a final and comprehensive oversight report to the general assembly describing the extent and manner in which it has achieved the goals of providing wireless telecommunications and broadband coverage as set out in this chapter. The report shall be sent by electronic mail to the home “e-mail” address of all members of the general assembly in office on that date, with printed copies provided by regular mail to any member or members lacking electronic mail services.
(a) All property of the authority is public property devoted to an essential public and governmental function and purpose and is exempt from all taxes, franchise fees, and special assessments of whatever nature of the state or any subdivision. All bonds or notes issued by the authority or a municipality under this chapter are issued by a body corporate and public of this state and for an essential public and governmental purpose, and those bonds and notes and the interest thereon and the income therefrom and all activities of the authority and fees, charges, funds, revenues, incomes, and other moneys of the authority, whether or not pledged or available to pay or secure the payment of those bonds or notes, or interest thereon, are exempt from all taxation, franchise fees, or special assessments of whatever kind except for transfer, inheritance, and estate taxes.
(a) The department of public service shall, as part of the state telecommunications plan prepared pursuant to section 202d of this title, identify minimum technical service characteristics which ought to be available as part of broadband services commonly sold to residential and small business users throughout the state. For the purposes of this chapter, “broadband” means high speed internet access. The department shall consider the performance characteristics of broadband services needed to support current and emerging applications of broadband services.
(c) Until the department of public service adopts a revision to the state telecommunications plan, the authority shall give priority to the expansion of broadband services which offer a data transmission rate of not less than 3 megabits per second in at least one direction to areas where such services are not available.
(a) The authority shall identify, or seek to enable the development of, networks in all regions of the state which support mass-market broadband services meeting the minimum technical characteristics identified by the department of public service pursuant to section 8077 of this title.
(b) By not later than December 1, 2007, the authority shall identify areas within the state, without regard to municipal boundaries or size of geographic area, that contain or are likely to contain premises that can obtain basic telephone service but cannot obtain a mass-market broadband service meeting the minimum technical characteristics identified by the department of public service pursuant to section 8077 of this title. The authority may rely on readily and publicly available information to estimate the extent of these areas.
(c) Using a competitive process, the authority shall solicit proposals to eliminate areas without a provider of mass-market broadband services within the state of Vermont by 2010 through the development of telecommunications facilities or through binding commitments from service providers to expand broadband service to all unserved areas in a given region, without regard to municipal boundaries or size of geographic area. For the purposes of this process, the authority may divide the state into one or more regions. The authority shall undertake substantial efforts to complete the process of competitively soliciting proposals by January 31, 2008. In evaluating proposals, the authority shall consider:
(1) the proposed data transfer rates and other data transmission characteristics of services which would be available to consumers;
(2) the price to consumers of services;
(3) the proposed cost to consumers of any new construction, equipment installation service, or facility required to obtain service;
(4) whether the proposal would utilize the best available technology which is economically feasible; and
(5) the ability to achieve the authority's objectives in the most cost-effective manner.
(d) The authority shall seek to eliminate areas without access to commercial mobile radio service licensed by the Federal Communications Commission by 2010 through the construction of facilities and binding commitments from commercial mobile radio service providers.
(e) The authority shall seek to expand access to all services that utilize the technical standards which are commonly in use for providing voice and data services through commercial mobile radio service.
(f) Using a competitive process, the authority shall solicit proposals to eliminate areas without coverage from a provider of commercial mobile radio services within the state of Vermont by 2010 through the development of telecommunications facilities and through binding commitments from service providers to expand service, including all unserved areas in a given region. For the purposes of this process, the authority may divide the state into one or more regions. The authority shall undertake substantial efforts to complete the process of competitively soliciting proposals by January 31, 2008. In evaluating proposals, the authority shall consider the extent to which a proposal meets coverage objectives while limiting environmental impact and providing opportunities for future development of wireless communications services.
(g) The authority may support projects to enable provision of broadband service in geographic areas currently served; provided, that such projects are the most cost-effective method for providing broadband services in nearby unserved areas, that the provision of broadband service currently offered falls short of public needs, and that the carriers currently providing such services are unlikely to upgrade or extend those services to a level consistent with public needs, and that before undertaking such projects, the authority makes reasonable effort to distinguish served areas and populations from unserved areas and populations within the geographic area that the project would serve, including recognition and consideration of known or probable service extensions.
* * * Allocation of Available VEDA Mortgage Capacity * * *
Sec. 2. 10 V.S.A. § 212 (14) is amended to read:
(14) “Mortgagee,” as used in subchapter 2, means the original lender under a mortgage and its successors and assigns if approved by the authority, and shall include the authority in its capacity as lender under the technology infrastructure financing program adopted pursuant to subchapter 10 of this chapter. The authority may utilize up to $3,000,000.00 of its available mortgage insurance capacity granted pursuant to 10 V.S.A. §§ 221(a) and 221(c) to insure these technology infrastructure financing program loans;
(d) The authority shall use a competitive application process to award grants. When evaluating proposals to provide broadband service throughout an unserved area, the authority shall consider the proposed price to consumers for the service, the proposed data transfer rates, the cost to the consumers of any new construction, equipment installation service, or facility required for the connection, and the degree to which the grant is required to make the project financially sustainable. When evaluating proposals to establish new Wi‑Fi hotspots, the authority shall give preference to Wi‑Fi hotspot proposals which provide at least limited free usage to the public.
(e) The authority may award grants in one or more rounds, including separate rounds to fund Wi‑Fi hotspots and expansion of broadband service. The authority may combine the award of a grant provided under this section with any other financial assistance that the authority is authorized to provide under section 8061 of Title 30.
* * * Interlocal Agreements, Municipal Authority * * *
Sec. 4. 20 V.S.A. § 2601 is amended to read:
A fire district may vote to adopt the town manager system in compliance with chapter 37 of Title 24. It may vote a tax upon the polls and taxable estate or upon the taxable estate only for the protection of property in the district from damage by fire; for the acquisition, construction and maintenance of sewers and sewage treatment works; sidewalks; acquisition and construction of communications infrastructure; public parks; water works, water companies and equipment and real estate used in connection therewith including reservoirs and dams; for lighting; and for other lawful purposes. The prudential committee and collector shall have the same power in assessing, levying and collecting the tax, as town officers have in assessing and collecting town taxes, including the collection of interest on overdue taxes. The prudential committee may expend such sums for acquiring, constructing and maintaining sewers and sewage treatment works; sidewalks; public parks; water works, water companies and all equipment and real estate used in connection therewith including reservoirs and dams; and for lighting purposes as the fire district may vote. The committee may use and occupy such portions of the highways within the district as may be necessary for constructing and maintaining sewers and sewage treatment works; sidewalks; communications infrastructure; public parks; water works and mains and for lighting purposes.
(c) The undertaking of a municipality to make payments under a lease or agreement identified in subsection (a) of this section shall not be a general or special obligation of the municipality, but shall be treated as a current operating expense. Payments made or to be made under such lease or agreement shall be taken into account in calculating the debt limit of a municipality for any purpose.
§ 2502. LINES OR WIRES ALONG HIGHWAYS; WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES; BROADBAND FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION; RESTRICTION
Sec. 11. BROADBAND AND WIRELESS USE OF RIGHTS OF WAY;
(a) For the purpose of establishing rules to implement this act by July 1, 2007, or as soon thereafter as possible, the Vermont Telecommunications Authority is authorized to adopt rules under the expedited rule-making procedures of this section.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 25 of Title 3, the authority, in consultation with the Agency of Transportation, may adopt rules relating to reasonable payments, granting waivers and determining comparable value to the state for access to state rights of way under section 26a (b) of title 19, pursuant to the following expedited rulemaking process:
(1) The authority shall file proposed rules with the secretary of state and the legislative committee on administrative rules under 3 V.S.A. § 841 after publication in three daily newspapers with the highest average circulation in the state of a notice that lists the rules to be adopted pursuant to this process and a seven-day public comment period following publication.
(2) The authority shall file final proposed rules with the legislative committee on administrative rules 14 days after the public comment period.
(4) The authority may adopt a properly filed final proposed rule after the passage of 14 days from the date of filing final proposed rules with the legislative committee on administrative rules or after receiving notice of approval from the committee, provided the authority:
(5) Rules adopted under this section shall be effective upon being filed with the secretary of state and shall have the full force and effect of rules adopted pursuant to chapter 25 of Title 3. Rules filed by the authority with the secretary of state pursuant to this section shall be deemed to be in full compliance with 3 V.S.A. § 843 and shall be accepted by the secretary of state if filed with a certification by the authority that the rule is required to meet the purposes of this section.
(c) Nothing in this section or in section 10 of this act shall be construed to impair any contractual rights existing on the effective date of this act. The state shall have no authority under this section or section 10 to waive any sums due to a railroad. The state shall also not offer any grants or waivers of charges for any new broadband installations in segments of rail corridor where an operating railroad has installed or allowed installation of fiber optic facilities prior to the effective date of this act unless the state offers equivalent terms and conditions to the owner or owners of existing fiber optic facilities.
(19) To regulate the construction, alteration, development, and decommissioning or dismantling of wireless telecommunications facilities and ancillary improvements where the city, town, or village has not adopted zoning or where those activities are not regulated pursuant to a duly adopted zoning bylaw. Regulations regarding the decommissioning or dismantling of telecommunications facilities and ancillary structures may include requirements that bond be posted, or other security acceptable to the legislative body, in order to finance facility decommissioning or dismantling activities. These regulations are not intended to prohibit seamless coverage of wireless telecommunications services. With respect to the construction or alteration of wireless telecommunications facilities subject to regulation granted in this section, the town, city, or incorporated village shall vest in its local regulatory authority the power to determine whether the installation of a wireless telecommunications facility, whatever its size, will impose no impact or merely a de minimis impact on the surrounding area and the overall pattern of land development, and if the local regulatory authority, originally or on appeal, determines that the facility will impose no impact or a de minimis impact, it shall issue a permit. No ordinance authorized by this section may have the purpose or effect of limiting or prohibiting a property owner’s ability to place or allow placement of an antenna used to transmit, receive, or transmit and receive communications signals on that property owner’s premises if the antenna is eight square feet or less on its largest face and if the antenna and the mast to which it is attached do not extend more than 12 feet above the roof of that portion of the building to which the antenna is attached. The exemption established by the preceding sentence only shall apply to one antenna per building.
Sec. 15. 24 V.S.A. § 4412(8) and (9) are added to read:
(8) Antennae Exemption. No bylaw authorized by this chapter may have the purpose or effect of limiting or prohibiting a property owner’s ability to place or allow placement of an antenna used to transmit, receive, or transmit and receive communications signals on that property owner’s premises if the antenna is eight square feet or less on its largest face and if the antenna and the mast to which it is attached do not extend more than 12 feet above the roof of that portion of the building to which the antenna is attached. This exemption only shall apply to one antenna per building.
(9) Administrative review of minor telecommunications facilities. Bylaws shall provide for permitted use classification of minor facilities used for telecommunications by administrative review of minor installations and modifications, by an officer or entity designated by the municipality, whose decision shall be subject to appeal to the appropriate municipal body. The designated officer or entity, and the appropriate municipal body on appeal, shall approve any application where these modifications or installation will impose no impact or merely de minimis impact on the surrounding area and the overall pattern of land development. Prior to making an administrative determination, notice of such applications shall be provided to all adjoining landowners, to the appropriate municipal panel, and to the legislative body of the municipality. Upon making a determination under this subdivision, the designated officer or entity shall provide notice of that determination to all adjoining landowners, to the appropriate municipal panel, and to the legislative body of the municipality.
(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (B) of subdivision (1) of this section, if the board finds that a petition filed pursuant to this subsection does not raise a significant issue with respect to the criteria enumerated in subdivisions (b)(1), (3), (4), (5) and (8) of this section, the board shall issue a certificate of public good without a hearing. If the board fails to issue a final decision or identify a significant issue with regard to a completed petition made under this section within 60 days of its filing with the clerk of the board and service to the director of public advocacy for the department of public service, the petition is deemed approved by operation of law. The rules required by this subsection shall be adopted within six months of the effective date of this section, and rules under this section may be adopted on an emergency basis to comply with the dates required by this section. For purposes of this subsection, “wireless communication facilities” include antennae, related equipment, and equipment shelter.
(c) Before the public service board issues a certificate of public good under this section, it shall find that the proposed facilities, in the aggregate, will:
(1) not unduly interfere with the orderly development of the region, with substantial deference having been given to the following, unless there is good cause to find otherwise: the recommendations of the municipal and regional planning commissions, the recommendations of the municipal legislative bodies, and the land conservation measures contained in the plan of any affected municipality;
(2) not have an undue adverse effect on aesthetics, historic sites, air and water purity, the natural environment, and the public health and safety, with due consideration having been given to the criteria specified in subsection 1424a(d) and subdivisions 6086(a)(1) through (8) and (9)(K) of Title 10.
(e) No less than 45 days prior to filing a petition for a certificate of public good under this section, the applicant shall serve written notice of an application to be filed with the board pursuant to this section to the legislative bodies and municipal and regional planning commissions in the communities in which the applicant proposes to construct or install facilities; the secretary of the agency of natural resources; the commissioner of the department of public service and its director for public advocacy; and the landowners of record of property adjoining the project sites. Upon motion or otherwise, the public service board shall direct that further public or personal notice be provided if the board finds that such further notice will not unduly delay consideration of the merits and that additional notice is necessary for fair consideration of the application.
(g) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any person from executing a letter of intent or entering into a contract before the issuance of a certificate of public good under this section, provided that the obligations under that letter of intent or contract are made subject to compliance with the requirements of this section.