Toledo Chosen for Federal Broadband Assistance

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The federal government has selected Toledo as one of five communities across the country slated to receive assistance in growing their downtown economy by utilizing broadband internet to encourage business and tourism.

The revitalization program known as Cool and Connected is run through a partnership of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

"Broadband has helped rural communities across the country gain access to improved health care, open the door to educational services and expand business and social opportunities," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a press release. "The new Cool & Connected program will help these small-towns use broadband to provide new opportunities for people and businesses in rural areas.”

The press release noted that Cool and Connected aims to piggyback on the work of the grassroots coalition known as VISION:Toledo.

“Cool & Connected supports community revitalization in rural America,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, in the release. “By supporting economic growth through broadband investments, rural communities are creating vibrant, thriving places that improve human health and the environment.”



Assistance from the Cool and Connected program will entail technical support from experts, strategy development and an action plan for utilizing existing broadband services. The ultimate goal, according to the release, is to “create connected, economically vibrant main streets and small-town neighborhoods.” 

The four other communities selected to participate in the Cool and Connected program are Georgetown, Delaware, Leon, Iowa, Montrose, Colorado and Tullahoma, Tennessee.

Cool and Connected is an initiative of the Obama Administration focused on helping rural communities grow their economies by  working hand in hand with federal experts. Since 2009 the USDA has awarded $6.7 billion toward 550 projects intended to improve telecommunications infrastructure in rural communities.

More information on Cool and Connected can be found online at https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/cool-connected.