POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. – Congressman Jason Smith (R-MO) announced the Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission in Poplar Bluff is receiving nearly $400,000 in economic development assistance to expand broadband connectivity. The Commission oversees economic development efforts in Butler, Carter, Reynolds, Ripley, and Wayne counties.
Improving broadband connectivity across southern Missouri has been a top priority for Congressman Smith, and he has consistently raised the issue with the White House and Congressional Leadership. Smith also led a roundtable in September 2017 with the Chairman of the FCC, Ajit Pai, on ways to expand broadband access in rural areas. After the announcement, Smith spoke about how critical this latest broadband funding is for the area’s development.
“Access to the internet has never been more important than it is right now,” said Congressman Smith. “Whether it’s health care, job training or education, more people than ever before are having to learn and work from home. Unfortunately, our rural communities continue to lag behind urban and suburban ones in broadband connectivity. This latest funding will help to change that, by putting broadband implementation at the forefront of any economic development efforts in the region.”
Crystal Jones, the Executive Director of the Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission, spoke about the grant assistance and how it will help their efforts in the region.
“The CARES Act assistance provided by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) is so important to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19 in the Ozark Foothills Region of Missouri,” said Jones. “These funds will enable the Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission to dedicate staff to support economic recovery efforts, including broadband planning and deployment, in the five counties of Butler, Carter, Reynolds, Ripley and Wayne and the sixteen cities within those counties.”
“We greatly appreciate Congressman Smith's support of southeast Missouri and this assistance provided as a result of the CARES Act.”
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