The Muskegon Chronicle is running a piece on a plan by local schools and governments to run fiber to five rural Michigan communities. A debate has sprung up over the project's need to place completely new poles along streets, as Verizon won't allow the project to share space.

"Verizon's claim that state law prevents it from allowing use of its poles is the latest snag in the $3 million fiber project that is two years behind schedule. Local officials are fuming about Verizon's actions, calling them "delay tactics" and "sabotage." The total cost of avoiding Verizon poles is estimated at more than $300,000, said officials with the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District, which spearheaded the fiber project.

By law, Verizon must allow educational entities to use its power poles that are in public right-of-ways, but there's a local debate over whether that law covers consortiums like the Shoreline fiber network. Threatened financially, Verizon is clearly suggesting it does not. Instead of wasting time fighting Verizon in court, the project simply skipped the 125 Verizon poles and planted their own.