POMEROY–The Port of Garfield County Commissioners discussed the status of the grants they have applied for at their meeting on August 17. The pre-contract requirements for the Washington State Department of Commerce grant to extend the fiber optic internet to Pataha are finished, including a State Environmental Protection Agency report.

A National Telecommunications and Information Administration grant that the Port applied for to bring the fiber out into Garfield County was not granted, but the commissioners are applying for a Public Works grant to carry out the same work. The Public Works is a no-match grant that was suggested to Port Manager Diana Ruchert by Russ Elliot of the Washington State Broadband Board. The application status is not official, leaving the commissioners the option to decline to apply if the terms are not acceptable.