From staff reports
Representatives from Gov. Tom Wolf’s office and the state Department of Community and Economic Development joined local officials Thursday for a tour of broadband infrastructure in Clarion County.
Sheri Collins, acting executive director of the governor’s Office of Broadband Initiatives; and Neil Weaver of the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) highlighted how the Restore Pennsylvania proposal will aggressively address the commonwealth’s vital infrastructure needs and bring high-speed internet access to every Pennsylvanian, according to a DCED press release.
“In today’s connected world, there’s no reason why so many Pennsylvanians, particularly in rural areas, should be going without high-speed internet,” Collins said. “Restore Pennsylvania is the only way that we can fund projects that will bring reliable broadband access to the residents, businesses, schools, and emergency responders in Clarion County.”
While this new tower helps provide broadband access for a very specific purpose, more resources are needed to implement broadband infrastructure projects that will provide access to residents and businesses on a larger scale, the press release said.
A study by the Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission, in partnership with Connected Nation, says nearly half of residents in Clarion County lack access to robust high-speed internet.
“Technology touches almost every facet of life in our culture today, so having access to reliable, high-speed internet is a necessity for economic growth and educational success,” said Shannon Barrios, executive director of the Clarion County Economic Development Corp. “However, for rural communities like Clarion County, installing the infrastructure it takes to support our technological needs can be cost prohibitive. I believe the Restore Pennsylvania initiative will help to provide the necessary resources to rural communities just like ours to ensure that everyone gets connected so our local students can excel and our local businesses can continue to thrive,” Barrios said.
The $4.5 billion bipartisan Restore Pennsylvania proposal will provide funding to completely bridge the digital divide in every community in Pennsylvania. If passed into law, Restore Pennsylvania will support every phase of the process, from feasibility testing to connection, at a level far beyond any existing funding mechanisms.
Restore Pennsylvania is a statewide plan to aggressively address the commonwealth’s vital infrastructure needs. Funded through a commonsense severance tax, Restore Pennsylvania is the only plan that will help make Pennsylvania a leader in the 21st century, the press release said.