PA Recommends that Federal Government Award $108 million for Broadband Expansion Statewide

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania has recommended 11 projects, totaling about $108 million, for federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding to help expand broadband access in the state.  

Sixty-two applications were submitted for review under the second round of the broadband stimulus program. Eleven projects were recommended because they will serve many areas and diverse needs, and reach underserved populations targeted by the federal broadband stimulus grant program.

Recommended projects include:

• Armstrong and Indiana counties for $18.4 million for comprehensive community infrastructure;
• Com Pros, Inc. for $4.5 million for comprehensive community infrastructure in Bedford, Blair, Fulton, and Huntingdon counties;
• Borough of Conneautville, Crawford County, for $542,000 for a public computer center;
• Delaware County Library System for $300,000 for comprehensive community infrastructure;
• Fayette County for $10.3 million for comprehensive community infrastructure;
• Pennsylvania State University for $8.3 million for public computer centers in Fayette, West Philadelphia, Greater Pittsburgh, McKeesport and Westmoreland;
• Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition for $11.8 million for sustainable broadband adoption;
• City of Philadelphia for $6.3 million for public computer centers in various locations across the city;
• Philadelphia Housing Authority for $15 million for public computer centers in underserved locations in Philadelphia;
• Wilco Electronic Systems Inc. for $31 million for comprehensive community infrastructure in Philadelphia to provide access to public housing authority residents, local community organizations and critical anchor institutions;
• Wireless Neighborhoods for $784,000 for mobile public computer centers in low-income neighborhoods across the City of Pittsburgh.

Pennsylvania's Secretary of Administration, Naomi Wyatt, recommended the projects in a recent letter submitted to the U.S. Department of Commerce. If selected, funding will be provided by the National Telecommunications and Infrastructure Administration's broadband technology opportunities program.  

"We take very seriously our role in the review process," Wyatt said. "We assembled a team of subject matter experts from within and outside government to review the submissions. They offered a breadth and depth of experience. We also asked regional economic development partners to share their assessments of projects proposed in their areas."

State recommendations are not binding. Federal officials can both reject projects recommended by states and fund projects that did not earn such recommendations.

Funding determinations must be made by Sept. 30, 2010.

Pennsylvania's broadband plan, recommendation letter and information about how federal Recovery Act funds are improving broadband access in Pennsylvania are available at www.recovery.pa.gov. Click "Opportunities," then "Broadband (Hi-Speed Data Transfer) Opportunities."

Media contact: Mia DeVane, 717-783-1116

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of Administration

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