All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

Capito, Manchin introduce bill to support broadband expansion projects

Bill helps communities use EDA dollars for broadband

WASHINGTON, D.C.– U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) today introduced the Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility (E-BRIDGE) Actwhich would remove obstacles for broadband projects to receive Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants. Specifically, the legislation ensures that local communities can partner with the private sector and gives communities more flexibility in complying with their funding match requirements.

“Coronavirus has underlined how critical broadband infrastructure is—whether you’re working from home, finishing school assignments, or in need of a telehealth appointment,” Senator Capito said. “Since my first days in the Senate, I’ve made sure West Virginia is getting our fair share of EDA dollars, but there’s still red tape that can prevent communities from accessing these resources to advance broadband deployment. The E-BRIDGE Act works to correct that, and it will compliment my Capito Connect initiative to help the most rural communities in West Virginia achieve the connectivity they need.”

“Access to reliable broadband is crucial in the 21st century and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many West Virginians are adjusting to staying at home and working from home. This puts a spotlight on the need to expand broadband access across rural states like West Virginia because we all know that broadband access is virtually nonexistent in many areas of our state,” said Senator Manchin. “Today Senator Capito and I introduced the Eliminating Barriers to Rural Internet Development Grant Eligibility (E-BRIDGE) Act which will remove a number of regulatory hurdles that currently prevent EDA from engaging in broadband development more broadly. As a Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I strongly support the EDA which provides critical assistance to coal communities and rural areas like West Virginia. Along with their current work, the EDA wants to expand to assisting communities with broadband access in West Virginia, and I’ve heard from many West Virginians who would welcome the EDA involvement. The E-BRIDGE Actwould help them do just that. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass the E-BRIDGE Act and send it to the President’s desk.”

Specifically, the bill would:

  • Eliminate barriers to investments in broadband in distressed communities, making them eligible for EDA grants.
  • Clarify that eligible recipients may include public-private partnerships and consortiums to leverage private sector expertise in project development.
  • Provide flexibility in the procurement process to account for limited availability of broadband services in distressed communities.
  • Clarify that funds can be combined with other federal resources.
  • Provide flexibility on accounting for in-kind methods to meet non-federal cost share.

Click here to view the bill text.

Share this story:

RECENT Stories

Softball Lady Bucs can’t hang on against Class AAAA No. 3 University in 13-5 loss

Despite an early lead and three RBIs from Alyssa Abel, Buckhannon-Upshur fell 13-5 to No. 3 University in six innings, hampered by four errors and a late-game offensive surge by the Hawks.

Baseball Bucs score three in the seventh to down Grafton, 7-4, fall to Morgantown by a 12-2 score

The Buckhannon-Upshur baseball team rallied with three runs in the seventh inning to beat Grafton 7-4 on Monday, but then suffered a 12-2 mercy-rule loss to Morgantown the following day.

Tennis Bucs lose matches to Lewis County and Elkins

The Buckhannon-Upshur tennis team fell to Lewis County 7-0 and Elkins 4-3 last week in Big 10 Conference play.

Tennis Lady Bucs drop outings to Lewis County and Elkins

The Buckhannon-Upshur tennis Lady Bucs fell to conference rivals Lewis County 5-2 and Elkins 4-3 last week, bringing their season record to 7-6 overall and 4-3 in the Big 10.

B-U’s Alyssa Abel selected to play in the North-South Girls Basketball All-Star Game

Buckhannon-Upshur senior Alyssa Abel, who led her team in scoring and rebounding and surpassed 1,000 career points this season, has been chosen to play for the North in the North-South Girls Basketball All-Star Game.

Wesleyan lacrosse tumbles to Virginia State, 21-7

Virginia State overwhelmed West Virginia Wesleyan 21-7 in women’s lacrosse, with eleven different players scoring and a dominant first quarter, while Nyah Elmer led Wesleyan with four points and eight draw controls.

Buckhannon man arrested after police find fentanyl stamps in vehicle

A man was arrested for felony possession with intent to deliver after police allegedly discovered wax stamps in his vehicle that tested positive for fentanyl.

Buckhannon pair charged after road rage incident leaves car damaged

A Buckhannon man and woman were arrested after a road rage incident in which they allegedly threw bottles at another vehicle, causing over $5,000 in damages and threatening the driver.

Buckhannon-Upshur environmental students experience exciting legal battle with mock trial

Buckhannon-Upshur environmental students participated in a mock trial at the Upshur County Courthouse, learned about Parkersburg v. DuPont, and received advice from renowned lawyer Robert Bilott.

Upshur County Commission Agenda: April 24, 2025

The Upshur County Commission has released the agenda for its upcoming meeting scheduled for April 24, 2025.

City of Buckhannon Water Department announces service interruption on Thursday, April 24

Water service for parts of Vicksburg Road, Pine Street, Royalty Road and Tripp Drive will be interrupted starting at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 24, for repairs.

Alert: Ritchie Street paving to start Wednesday, April 23

Paving of Ritchie Street from College Avenue to Camden Avenue will begin at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, April 23, with residents asked to remove vehicles beforehand to facilitate the work.