As a result of the efforts of Rep. Nick Rahall, D-WV, $100,000 in federal funds have been designated in the FY 2007 Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill to the Connected Technology Corridors Program.

"This funding is essential to the development of a program that will help bring the latest technological opportunities to businesses in our area and will help keep all of southern West Virginia on a level playing field in a sector that is becoming increasingly more competitive and constantly changing," Rahall said.

The Connected Technologies Program is a new, regional, economic development entity, the goal of which is to improve the technology infrastructure in both access and speed and entrepreneurial development in southern West Virginia. The CTC encompasses projects for which Rahall has helped steer $9 million in federal dollars in the past, including the Interstate 64 Technology Corridor, the Interstate 77 Technology Corridor and technology centers and business parks in Lewisburg, Hinton, Montgomery, Huntington and Beckley, as well as Concord University.

"Technology, as many know, is one of the three Ts that I see as keys to economic advancement in West Virginia," Rahall said. "Combined with work in the areas of transportation and tourism, technology successes will go a long way toward unlocking the economic promise of our region. These are dollars well spent."

Rahall was a driving force behind the establishment of the Connected Technologies Corridors Program (CTC), a collaborative effort of the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation, 4-C Economic Development Authority, The Development Authority of Mercer County, the McDowell County Economic Development Authority, Webster County Economic Development Authority and the Wyoming County Economic Development Authority, Region 1 Planning and Development Council, and the Region 4 Planning and Development Council.

These entities, representing 11 county commissions and more than 50 municipalities, have come together for the purpose of broadband development and deployment, entrepreneurial startups, retention and expansion of technology based businesses, and regional marketing of what the 11-county area of southeastern West Virginia has to offer.

The initiative will strengthen the existing efforts underway with the I-64 Technology Corridor from Beckley to Lewisburg and the I-77 High Technology Corridor from Beckley to Bluefield and work to complement other regional economic development efforts ongoing throughout southern West Virginia. Rahall officially helped to kick off the CTC program in December with events in Lewisburg, Beckley and Bluefield. The seed funding for this start-up economic development initiative is being provided by the Benedum Foundation, Verizon West Virginia and Frontier Communications.

Also in December, Norm Kirkham, a longtime economic development crusader for southern West Virginia, was named executive director of the program. This week, Kirkham commended Rahall this week for his work in securing funds for CTC.

"This announcement is terrific news for the future of southern West Virginia," Kirkham said. "Congressman Rahall truly understands the importance of high speed broadband internet service. It's a critical infrastructure. The Congressman has taken the initiative in this unique public/private partnership and the Internet service providers have responded in a very positive manner."

Said Rahall, "The Connected Technology Corridors program I believe can be a major thrust to bring broadband service to the rural areas of our region which are ripe for residential development and associated commercial and economic development. We have to look no further than our own backyards to see what others are just now realizing, that we have always happily known, that dog gone it, living in West Virginia, is truly-almost heaven."