DRAFT UTILITY LEVERAGE PROGRAM GUIDELINES
The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has released proposed updates to Utility Leverage Program Guidelines for a 15 day public comment. The public comment period will open on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 and close on Wednesday, January 18, 2023. All written comments must be submitted to broadband@dhcd.virginia.gov
Click Here to Review the Draft Utility Leverage Program – Unserved Certification Guidelines
DHCD will release the Updated Utility Leverage Program Guidelines in late January. The guidelines will be posted on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall in accordance with relevant procedures for Guidance Documents.
UTILITY LEVERAGE PROGRAM GUIDELINES
Pursuant to “§56-585.1:9” of the Code of Virginia, petitioners may submit proposed project areas to the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to be designated as unserved by broadband. DHCD has released the guidelines for unserved certification, effective Oct. 29, 2021. To access the guidelines, please click the link below.
UNSERVED PETITION REVIEW DATES
In accordance with the Utility Leverage Program Unserved Certification Guidelines, DHCD shall publish two dates in calendar year 2022 at which petitions for unserved certification will be due and considered by DHCD for unserved certification. For the 2022 calendar year, these two dates are March 1, 2022 and May 2*, 2022. Petitions submitted prior to these deadlines will be considered at the next closest petition filing deadline.
*This review date was adjusted from the previous deadline of May 1 to be due during a weekday.
OPEN PETITIONS FOR UNSERVED CERTIFICATIONS
The petitions for proposed project areas below are currently open for review by internet service providers. Challenges to petitions will not be considered if challenge materials are incomplete. See the Unserved Certification Guidelines above for more details regarding the requirements of challenges. Challenge information must be emailed to broadband@dhcd.virginia.gov by the deadline below for consideration.
| Locality | Date of Petition Posting | Deadline for Challenges | Final Notification Deadline* | Link to Petition Letter | Link to Petition Shapefiles on Open Data Portal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
No petitions are currently open for review. |
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*DHCD may extend the validation period by thirty (30) days and will provide notice to the petitioner and challenger(s) if any additional review time is needed or if current petition volume necessitates extension.
FORMER PETITIONS FOR UNSERVED CERTIFICATION
The Department of Housing and Community Development has certified the areas included in the shapefiles below are unserved by broadband.
| Locality | Date of Petition Posting | Certification Date | Link to Petition Shapefiles on Open Data Portal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta County | July 22, 2021 | Withdrawn | Not Applicable |
| Caroline County | July 28, 2021 | Nov. 15, 2021 | Certified Unserved Location Shapefiles |
| Chesterfield County | July 28, 2021 | Nov. 15, 2021 | Certified Unserved Location Shapefiles |
| Clarke County | July 28, 2021 | Withdrawn | Not Applicable |
| Culpeper County | July 22, 2021 | Withdrawn | Not Applicable |
| Essex County | July 28, 2021 | Withdrawn | Not Applicable |
| Fauquier County | July 28, 2021 | Withdrawn | Not Applicable |
| Frederick County | July 22, 2021 | Withdrawn | Not Applicable |
| Hanover County | July 22, 2021 | Withdrawn | Not Applicable |
| Henry County | July 22, 2021 | Nov. 15, 2021 | Certified Unserved Location Shapefiles |
| King William County | July 22, 2021 | Nov. 15, 2021 | Certified Unserved Location Shapefiles |
| Loudon County | July 22, 2021 | Withdrawn | Not Applicable |
| Middlesex County | July 22, 2021 | Withdrawn | Not Applicable |
| Page County | July 22, 2021 | Withdrawn | Not Applicable |
| Rappahannock County | July 22, 2021 | Withdrawn | Not Applicable |
| Rockingham County | July 22, 2021 | Withdrawn | Not Applicable |
| Shenandoah County | July 22, 2021 | Nov. 15, 2021 | Certified Unserved Location Shapefiles |
| Spotsylvania County | July 28, 2021 | Withdrawn | Not Applicable |
| Stafford County | July 28, 2021 | Nov. 15, 2021 | Certified Unserved Location Shapefiles |
| Warren County | July 22, 2021 | Withdrawn | Not Applicable |
| Bland, Montgomery and Pulaski Counties | August 6, 2021 | December 20, 2021 | Certified Unserved Location Shapefiles |
