SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE OVER $830 THOUSAND IN APPALACHIAN REGIONAL COMMISSION FUNDING FOR SOUTHERN TIER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE SUFFERED JOB LOSSES IN THE COAL INDUSTRY
Southern Tier West In Allegany County To Receive $426,304 For Broadband Project, Tompkins County Area Development To Receive $404,170 For Fiber Broadband Trunk
Senators Say Funding Will Increase Broadband Capacity In The Southern Tier To Position The Region For New Opportunities And Jobs
Schumer, Gillibrand: ARC Funding Is Investment Sparking Southern Tier’s Broadband Future
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $830,474 in federal funding allocated through the Appalachian Regional Commission. The funding will be used to revitalize broadband in the Southern Tier’s coal-impacted communities.
“In today’s modern economy, access to reliable, fast internet service is crucial to a community’s success,” said Senator Schumer. “These projects will ensure that the Southern Tier is up to date on state-of-the-art broadband technology that is essential for attracting and growing new industries and new jobs in the region. I am proud to have secured this federal funding that will help revitalize the Southern Tier’s broadband future.”
“As New Yorkers continue working remotely amidst the coronavirus pandemic, it is more important than ever that our communities have access to reliable internet,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This funding will provide high speed internet services to thousands of households and hundreds of businesses across the Southern Tier, strengthening innovation and creating jobs in the region. I will continue fighting to ensure that every New Yorker has access to telehealth services, online learning, and other vital services during this pandemic.”
Specifically, Southern Tier West will receive $426,304 for an Allegany county-wide broadband project, using fixed wireless equipment at 12 sites, and Tompkins County Area Development will receive $404,170 for a fiber broadband trunk from Ithaca to the recently retired Cayuga coal plant in Lansing, which is the site of a proposed high capacity data center focusing on artificial intelligence and machine learning.
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian region.
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