BOUCHER SECURES $199,920 TO HELP EXPAND BROADBAND IN SCOTT, WISE AND RUSSELL COUNTIES

Federal Funds Will Be Used For Engineering and Design Work for New Fiber-to-the-Premise Network in Russell, Wise and Scott Counties

            (Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Representative Rick Boucher announced today that, at his urging, the U.S. Department of Agriculture through its Rural Utilities Service is providing a federal grant of $199,920 to Scott County telephone cooperative for the design and engineering of a fiber-to-the-premise network to bring broadband services to more homes and businesses in Russell, Wise and Scott Counties. 

            “The federal funds will enable the design and engineering work to proceed on a new broadband network that would bring fiber-optic cable directly to the homes and businesses from Castlewood to Dungannon, from Castlewood to Virginia City, from Virginia City to Coeburn along Route 58 and from Virginia City to Coeburn via the Sandy Ridge community.  From the Sandy Ridge Community, the fiber route will continue on Route 652 to Crane’s Nest and return to Coeburn along Route 72. In addition, the funds will be used to develop a marketing plan to bring new businesses to the area and to educate residents and local small business owners on the benefits of broadband services,” Boucher said.

            With the benefit of the federal funds, planning and design work for the new fiber-to-the-premise network, including the identification of targeted routes for the installation of broadband, will be performed. In addition, Scott County Telephone Cooperative will begin some of the engineering work needed for the new network, such as developing the design, determining the best construction practices necessary for each location, and obtaining rights-of-way. Finally, a plan to realize the network’s full potential by educating business owners and residents on the new services as well as to attract businesses needing the services to the region will be developed.

            Last month, Congressman Boucher was instrumental in securing federal funds totaling $24,850,000 for Scott County Telephone Cooperative to construct a fiber-to-the-premise network to bring high-speed Internet services directly to 4873 homes and 100 businesses in the southern portion of Scott County including the communities of Hiltons, Kermit, Morrison City, Wadlow Gap, Stanley Valley, Possum Creek, Williams Mill, Fairview, Robinette Valley and Dungannon. 

            “Access to high-speed Internet service is critical to achieving our economic development goals for the region. Fiber-optic infrastructure makes us more attractive to companies seeking to expand operations and provides new opportunities for local entrepreneurs to telecommute or expand their businesses online. The federal funds announced today will enable Scott County Telephone Cooperative to bring broadband services into new communities in Russell, Wise and Scott Counties, taking another significant step forward in achieving our economic development goals for the region,” Boucher said.