SOUTH PITTSBURG - The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has awarded $500,000 to SVEConnect to help defray the costs of deploying broadband to the unserved area of the Nickajack Port Industrial Park in New Hope, TN and surrounding community.
ARC is a regional economic development agency that represents a partnership of federal, state, and local government. ARC's mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia.
“Thank you to the Appalachian Regional Commission, State of Tennessee, Department of Economic and Community Development and SEIDA for their commitment to rural broadband expansion,” said Michael Partin, president and CEO of Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC) and SVEConnect. “Our mission at SVEC is to improve the quality of life in our communities. Providing high-speed internet service to this unserved community will attract businesses that want to invest in Marion County. We will continue to seek out innovative funding sources and partnerships to bring the vital service of high-speed internet to the rural areas of Marion County.”
Broadband construction to the Port Authority Industrial Park and community of New Hope will begin when materials arrive and federal documents are filed.