Alaska Online Public Notices #ADL 234814

Alaska Seeks Public Comment on 30-Year Easement for Subsea Fiber Optic Cable Project

This opportunity involves a major infrastructure project to expand broadband connectivity in Alaska: - Government Buyer: - Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Division of Mining, Land, and Water, Southcentral Regional Land Office - Project Overview: - Application for a 30-year public utility easement (ADL 234814) by Cordova Telecom Cooperative, Inc. - Authorization sought to install, operate, and maintain a submerged fiber optic cable system between Cordova and Seward, Alaska - The easement covers approximately 821,689 feet in length and 30 feet in width (about 566 acres) - The project, called FISH in AK, aims to deliver high-speed broadband to rural and underserved coastal communities - The cable will have a maximum diameter of 47 mm and will be installed via direct burial or surface lay, depending on seabed conditions - Branching units are planned for Johnstone and Chenega - Products/Services Requested: - Subsea fiber optic cable (chemically inert, max diameter 47 mm) - Installation, operation, and maintenance of the cable system, including terrestrial infrastructure and beach manholes at each landing - Unique/Notable Requirements: - Long-term (30-year) easement for submerged cable on state-owned lands - Project covers a significant distance and area, with environmental and technical considerations for subsea installation - No specific OEMs or vendors for the cable or equipment are named in the notice - Public comment is invited before a decision is made on the application

Description

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mining, Land, and Water, Southcentral Regional Land Office has received an application from Cordova Telecom Cooperative, Inc. for a fiber optic easement (ADL 234814) to install, operate, and maintain a submerged fiber optic cable on state-owned lands between Cordova and Seward, Alaska. The easement requested is approximately 821,689 feet long and 30 feet wide, totaling about 566 acres, with a term of 30 years. The project aims to provide broadband internet to rural and underserved coastal communities via a subsea fiber optic cable. Public comments are invited until July 15, 2026, before a decision is made.

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