WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Appalachian Regional Commission announced a $44.4 million investment package to expand and diversify the economy in Appalachia’s coal-impacted communities through the POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative.

Among the awards is a $2,500,000 ARC grant to Tioga County in Wellsboro, for the Northern Pennsylvania Broadband Connectivity Project.

Tioga County, in conjunction with Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative, will construct over 175 miles of fiber in three counties — Tioga, Potter, and Lycoming — to bring access to reliable high-speed broadband to 60 businesses and 581 households in one of the most underserved areas of rural Pennsylvania.

From 2007-2017 Tri-County Electric Cooperative’s service area saw a 66 percent decrease in the number of active coal mines, with a drop of 42 percent in mine employment. The new fiber network will help bolster economic development, assist educational institutions, provide telemedicine opportunities for area hospitals, assist healthcare workers in addressing the opioid crisis, and help prevent youth out-migration. Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative is providing $3,242,125 for the project.

“The downturn of the coal market has been devastating to Appalachian communities, especially those that relied on coal extraction and related supply chains for generations. POWER grants are playing a critical role in supporting these communities as they diversify economies, invest in growth-oriented infrastructure, train a next-generation workforce, and ingrain resiliency and hope into their local fabric,” said ARC Federal Co-Chairman Tim Thomas. “Ensuring a prosperous future in coal-impacted communities is something Appalachia will do together. I am very proud of the leadership and innovation shown by this round of POWER grantees.”