Senator Charles E. Schumer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 19, 2007

Schumer Announces $50,000 Coming To The Southern Tier West Regional Planning And Development Board

Federal Funding Will Support a Feasibility Study for the Development of a Broadband Network for Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Steuben Counties in Southwestern NY

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that a grant of $50,000 was awarded to the Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Board from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration. Federal funds will be used to support a feasibility study for the development of a broadband network for Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Steuben Counties in Southwestern NY.

“This is truly wonderful news for the Southern Tier,” said Schumer. “A broadband network will place these counties in sync with technological advances across the country and foster economic growth throughout Southwestern New York. I will continue to fight for federal funds to bring our regions into the global market.”

The Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Board will use these federal funds to create a feasibility study for the development of a broadband network for Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Steuben Counties in Southwestern NY.

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) was established under the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to generate jobs, help retain existing jobs, and stimulate industrial and commercial growth in economically distressed areas of the United States. EDA assistance is available to rural and urban areas of the Nation experiencing high unemployment, low income, or other severe economic distress. In fulfilling its mission, EDA is guided by the basic principle that distressed communities must be empowered to develop and implement their own economic development and revitalization strategies. Based on these locally- and regionally-developed priorities, EDA works in partnership with state and local governments, regional economic development districts, public and private nonprofit organizations, and Indian tribes. EDA helps distressed communities address problems associated with long-term economic distress, as well as sudden and severe economic dislocations including recovering from the economic impacts of natural disasters, the closure of military installations and other Federal facilities, changing trade patterns, and the depletion of natural resources.

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