arc funding – Jay's Real Estate Blog

ARC funds requested for Garrett projects

Keysers Ridge wastewater treatment plant, Last Mile broadband on list

Elaine Blaisdell

— OAKLAND — The Garrett County commissioners submitted to the Appalachian Regional Commission a $900,000 funding request for a wastewater treatment plant at Keysers Ridge Business Park and a $250,000 funding request for the Last Mile Wireless Network Broadband Phase 3 project.

The preliminary list of projects was presented during the commission meeting Tuesday.

A plant is needed at the business park to serve both residents and businesses for the future development of the park. Currently, residents are using septic systems and businesses are receiving wastewater service from Bruceton Farm Service, a private entity that no longer wants to provide those services, according to the preliminary project description.

The Maryland Department of the Environment has issued a complaint and consent order tothe Bruceton Farm Service wastewater treatment plant, which is located on National Pike in Grants

ville.MDE has determined there was failure to comply with permit discharge limits for contaminants, including ammonia-nitrogen, from 2007 to 2013 to an unnamed tributary of Puzzley Run. Bruceton must pay $40,000 in penalty fees to MDE and will pay additional significant penalty fees for any additional violations of its renewal permit.

Since Bruceton’s service is antiquated, the commissioners are proposing a new $1.8 million wastewater treatment plant to terminate discharges from the Bruceton plant. The $900,000 ARC funding request will be met with a $900,000 state/local match. Matching funds for water infrastructure are being secured from the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development and a discharge permit has already been obtained from MDE.

The new plant will service 50,000 gallons per day to meet the needs of the business park and 23 residential customers.

“There has been recent significant investment into the Keysers Ridge Business Park, accentuating the need for this project,” states the preliminary project description.

In April 2013, the Maryland Economic Development Corp. transferred more than 180 acres of land valued at $2.5 million to the commissioners to develop the park. In September 2013, the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development entered into an agreement with the commissioners, providing $625,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding to partially finance the construction of a 12,000square-foot building in the park.

More here.

The Fibers of Change: ARC Broadband Grant to Accelerate Opportunity in Garrett County

A $250,000 broadband grant awarded by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), and matched by $250,000 from the Board of County Commissioners of Garrett County, will quicken business growth and opportunity in Garrett County. The grant allows Garrett County to begin its first phase of a wireless broadband network, which along with other service providers is anticipated to bring access to 90% of homes and businesses over the next several years. On Friday, July 26, 2013, Congressman John K. Delaney formally announced the award, and celebrated its value to Maryland’s Sixth District. The event was held at the Garrett Information Enterprise Center in McHenry, Maryland at 2:00 p.m.

“Broadband is the backbone of a strong communications infrastructure,” noted Congressman Delaney. “It expands jobs and educational opportunities, and increases our competitiveness in a global marketplace.” Last May, Congressman Delaney introduced the Partnership to Build America Act, a bill designed to rebuild the country’s infrastructure, including communications and broadband.

Garrett County broadband project receives $250,000 grant from ARC

Matching local funds will bring high-speed service to hundreds

Greg Larry Cumberland Times-News

MCHENRY — Garrett County’s continued effort to expand broadband services received a boost Friday when the Appalachian Regional Commission announced that it is awarding a $250,000 grant to assist the project.

Officials say the funding will allow high-speed broadband services to be accessed by about 800 additional homes in southern Garrett County.

“Today we are here to provide the county $250,000,” said Earl Gohl, federal co-chair of the ARC.

“Having an opportunity to make an investment like this really makes a difference in rural communities. It’s so important. It’s why the ARC was established,” said Gohl.

The method to be used to deliver the high-speed service is a newly developed wireless system that accesses unused frequencies on the television spectrum.

“Today’s ceremony takes from the planning stage to the doing stage. That’s great news,” said Jim Raley, county commissioner.

Numerous officials attended the event, including state Sen. George Edwards, County Commissioner Gregan Crawford and U.S. Rep. John Delaney of the 6th Congressional District.

“Let’s face it, access to high-speed communication is an absolute in the world today. We applaud the grant. It’s done in a smart way,” said Delaney.

Delaney said he enjoyed hearing of the cooperation among the private sector, government and community resources.

“I love the spirit that I hear out here. There are a lot of lessons to be learned from that in Washington,” said Delaney.

The grant awarded by the ARC is a matching grant, meaning funds in the same amount must be secured and added to the investment. The county plans to supply the $250,000 matching funds required to bring the total funding package for the project to $500,000.

The homes receiving the new high-speed service will be Crellin, Pleasant Valley and other communities south of Oakland. Residents in that region are currently using dial-up.

Raley said that the goal of the county is to deliver broadband to 90 percent of homes. That requires around 3,000 homes to be brought online. The grant will allow 800 more to have access, leaving 2,200 still needing high-speed service.

Frank Shap, assistant director of economic development for the county explained how the new system works.

“It’s really a radio signal going into the house. The technology is called Television White Space. It’s the unused frequencies on the television spectrum,” said Shap.

“There will be a receiver in the house almost like a modem. A wireless signal will go back to a transmitter mounted on a tower and from there to the internet,” said Shap.

A carrier such as Shentel, Comcast, QCall or Atlantic Broadband will be needed to administer the system.

“We will try to identify one or more carriers that want to work with us to deliver the service,” said Shap.

Crawford said that the more broadband is accessible in the county, the more likely people will buy a home or move their business there.

“We have a lot visitors that come to the county and say ‘If I just had a way to work from here I would do it,’” said Crawford.

The more flexibility we can offer them, the better the chance they will stay, Crawford added.

Greg Larry can be contacted at glarry@times-news.com

More here.

Adventuresports Institute at Garrett College recipient of ARC funding

$250,000 will improve educational facilities

For the Cumberland Times-News Cumberland Times-News

WASHINGTON — The Garrett County Board of Commissioners has received a $250,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to improve the educational facilities of The Adventuresports Institute at Garrett College. In addition to the grant, the project will be locally funded at $279,024 and with an additional $50,000 in other federal funds.

The news was announced jointly on Friday by U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski, both Maryland Democrats.

“Tourism means jobs in Western Maryland and across our great state. This grant is about equipping young professionals with the important skills they need to showcase the splendor of Western Maryland’s natural resources,” said Cardin. “ARC’s federal-local partnership is investing together in Garrett County’s economy while raising the bar for new levels of responsible, environmental stewardship.”

“This federal funding is an important investment in Garrett County’s economic security and the vitality of Western Maryland,” said Mikulski. “These funds will help build an industry that keeps Marylanders on the job and encourages people to visit our state. Tourism spurs all parts of the economy — from the adventure sites to the food stands. I will keep fighting for smart federal investments in Maryland communities.”

The Adventuresports Institute is a wholly-owned operation of Garrett College. It was founded as part of a strategy to establish Garrett County as an adventure sport tourism leader.

ASI works with public and private entities to train professionals and produce leaders in adventure sports and recreation industries who have a strong sense of environmental stewardship and community service. This grant comes at an opportune time as its beneficiaries will be instrumental in ensuring that the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championship in 2014 at Deep Creek Lake is a success.

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