The past several months have been very busy and productive at the Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC). As we continue our work into spring, I wanted to share a quarterly update on our efforts over the past three months since the Winter 2024 District 4 Update.

 

I am Eric Kamler, your Commissioner for the 4th District of the Nebraska Public Service Commission,
which covers 31 counties of Nebraska. The Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) is a five-member elected statewide board that
oversees several industries affecting our everyday lives, including broadband internet and telecommunications, the 911 network contract, oil and natural gas pipeline routes and regulation, railroad lines, commercial grain storage licensing, commercial ground transportation licensing and regulation, and modular/manufactured housing safety regulation.

Telecommunications and broadband issues were again the major focus this past quarter. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the 2024 Nebraska Broadband Bridge Program grant awards totaling just over $20.1 million towards rural broadband expansion. Of the total amount awarded, over $3.4 million is going towards projects in PSC District 4, including grant awards that will complete fiber build out for nearly all of rural Fillmore County. Through the 4 successful years of the NBBP, over 18,000 rural Nebraska homes have been connected to high-speed fiber internet. Along with the NBBP grant awards, the PSC awarded the annual 211 Resource and Information Network Grant to United Way of the Midlands for $1.455 million (funded by interest generated from the NUSF fund balance), we approved several telecommunications company service boundary exchanges, approved a revised Nebraska Universal Service Fund (NUSF) broadband expansion funding formula for 2025 to adjust for incoming federal broadband support grant dollars, and we held a hearing to determine the annual Telecommunications Relay System (TRS) surcharge rate. The annual TRS surcharge rate will be lowered by one cent per phone line per month to four cents per phone line per month to fund the program for deaf and hard of hearing people in Nebraska.
Commissioners also unanimously approved the appointments of several telecommunications industry representatives to the NUSF Advisory Board and we also hosted a hearing to gather more information on the pending Verizon acquisition of Frontier Communications. Hearings and workshops also continued for further revisions and improvements to the Nebraska Universal Service Fund (NUSF) and an updated NUSF formula for high-cost distribution to providers for continued rural broadband buildout into 2026. In addition to official Commission action, I also had the chance to provide a townhall update on the work of the PSC in Hastings in early March.

On the 911 Department front, Commissioners closed out the 911 outage investigation into Lumen. Through our investigation and hearings, the Commission found that Lumen’s level of performance was not acceptable by any measure for Nebraska’s 911 system and that the carrier failed to meet the level of service provided within its state 911 contract. The Commissioners directed the State 911 Department to identify potential changes to the state’s current 911 system. To support the process, Commission consultant 911 Authority will conduct an independent verification and validation of the Next Generation 911 system provided by Lumen.

In the PSC Transportation Department, we held hearings for several transportation company applicants, approved several transportation company applicants as certified carriers, approved a few household goods moving transportation company applicants, and issued several citations and revoked licenses for some out of compliance transportation companies.

In the Natural Gas Department, the PSC conducted a review of Black Hills Energy and NorthWestern natural gas supplies in Nebraska during our Quarterly Gas Supply Status Meetings. In the PSC Grain Department, Commissioners approved several grain warehouse and grain dealer license applicants and unanimously approved revised grain warehouse and grain dealer rules and regulations to better protect farmers selling grain to elevators. It has been a busy past three months at the PSC and I pledge to continue working hard for the
people of the 4th District and will keep sharing these quarterly updates to all local newspapers, media outlets, and on my social media pages.

 

I also want to extend my sincere appreciation and gratitude for the hardworking and dedicated team at the PSC for their help in the implementation of the work of the Commissioners that is highlighted each quarter.

If you have any questions or issues related to the PSC or PSC regulated industries, please reach out to our office at 402-471-3101 or by email at eric.kamler@nebraska.gov.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve and to continue to work towards making Nebraska an even better place to call home.

Eric M. Kamler
Commissioner-Public Service Commission District 4