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Council of Governments reports new brownfields funding, $8.7 million in broadband awards for Franklin County
Summary
The regional Council of Governments updated commissioners on ARPA-funded technical assistance, new EPA Brownfields assessment money, BEAD broadband awards to SpaceX and Inland Wireless, and the region's five-year economic strategy listing $1 billion in projects.
Michelle Hoyt, executive director of the regional Council of Governments, briefed the Franklin County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 8 about the COG's semiannual work under American Rescue Plan Act funding: technical assistance to member jurisdictions, brownfields assessment activity, broadband planning and awards, and the five-year comprehensive economic development strategy (SEDS).
The COG used ARPA dollars and staff time to support jurisdictions in locating and applying for federal and state grants, Hoyt said, and recently hired a grant navigator who circulated dozens of funding notices to member governments. The presentation highlighted completed and newly awarded brownfields grants, the result of broadband mapping and BEAD application support, and regionally significant projects identified in the SEDS appendices.
Why it matters: The COG's work is intended to make local projects more competitive for federal funding. New assessment money and broadband awards could unlock redevelopment and connectivity in Franklin County, while the SEDS list gives projects a regional designation that…
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