Latest news with #ADECA
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Alabama officials demand stricter reporting on $400M broadband expansion progress
Mediacom technicians work on servicing existing broadband infrastructure Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023, in Silverhill, Ala. ADECA is overseeing over $400 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to expand Alabama's broadband infrastructure by 2026. (Mike Kittrell) State officials on Tuesday asked internet service providers tasked with building Alabama's broadband network to more strictly adhere to reporting requirements. During a series of project updates at the Alabama Digital Expansion Authority meeting in Montgomery, representatives from nearly two dozen companies provided details about their progress on state-funded internet projects. While most reported being on or ahead of schedule, others were cautioned for lagging reports and a lack of detailed progress. 'I feel like we are having good progress with some, and some that may not understand the system as to what we are asking for,' Kenneth Boswell, director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), said in a firm tone. 'We're happy to provide technical assistance, but we're not going to do it for you.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX ADECA oversees more than $400 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, with a significant portion of this funding aimed at building 'middle-mile' infrastructure, which provides the link from internet providers to local networks. An initial project, funded up to $85 million in 2022, is supposed to create a 3,000-mile fiber network across the state. A second, $245 million middle-mile effort will add another 4,287 miles of fiber infrastructure to specifically connect nearly 800 institutions like schools, hospitals and government facilities. ADECA is also managing a 'last-mile' broadband program that brings service directly to consumers, using up to $191.89 million in ARPA funds. The projects are expected to be completed by February 2026, though extensions are available until the federal spending deadline of December 2026. During the presentations, several companies that claimed they had progressed further than the data presented were asked to provide up-to-date information and schedule a meeting with the ADECA within 15 days to discuss their progress. 'What we would like to see at the next field meeting is this dashboard filled up to reflect what you're sharing with us verbally,' Boswell said to AT&T representatives, saying it's unfair to the other companies submitting the requested data. Cleo Washington, vice president of external affairs for AT&T Alabama, said that despite appearances on the dashboard, work was well underway, saying the planning phase for several projects would be completed by late summer and early fall. 'We are already constructing fiber in those areas, so we are building out to get to these areas,' Washington said. Boswell scheduled a follow-up meeting with the company within 15 days. Terry Metze, CEO of Alabama Fiber Network, said that its middle-mile network is '98% complete,' with only a single permit remaining. 'Our contractors are working heavily. This month, we had a couple of weeks of really heavy rain, kind of slowed this down a little bit, but we're back on track, and everything's moving forward right now,' Metze said. Providers pointed to several challenges affecting progress on specific projects. Several, including Coosa Valley Technologies and Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, said they had delays in securing permits. Weather, including a couple of weeks of heavy rain, was also a factor. The meeting concluded with Boswell saying that 'time is ticking' and asking companies to be more diligent about ensuring projects meet the funding deadline. 'Sounds like we got a lot of time left, but we really don't. We don't know what kind of obstacle that you may run into,' Boswell said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Ivey awards $600K grant to alleviate drainage problems in Scottsboro
SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (WHNT) — Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded the City of Scottsboro a $600,000 grant to help with drainage problems. The grant funds will help address a flooding problem that could potentially present safety hazards for residents in the area. The Community Development Block Grant Urgent Need award will be used to reroute a damaged and partially collapsed drainage line that has caused flooding and water backup in a section of downtown Scottsboro. City officials say that the flooding is causing damage to structures in the area such as the Scottsboro First Baptist Church. 'These funds will help the city realign a stormwater drainage system so that any rain can safely be diverted away from buildings and property and flow naturally through the runoff system without causing any harm or damage,' Gov. Ivey said. 'I am pleased to award these funds to help alleviate this issue for Scottsboro residents.' According to the state, the current drainage line is 85 years old, and was installed during the Works Progress Administration enacted by then President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Officials say that the current line runs under a church playground and an activity center. City officials told News 19 that the new line will be constructed along the south side of Laurel Street and the east side of Scott Street, avoiding church property and private property. The older sewer line will be plugged to ensure there is no runoff through it. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the award from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 'Community Development Block Grants under the urgent need fund are intended for occasions like this one in Scottsboro where there is a threat to a community's well-being,' ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. 'ADECA is pleased to join Gov. Ivey in this project to alleviate this issue.' Scottsboro Mayor Jim McCamy, was notified by Gov. Ivey that the funding had been approved. The City of Scottsboro is also providing $187,430 in local funds towards the project. News 19 is working to receive information on when the project is expected to be completed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City of Huntsville approves $300K grant in services for unsheltered population
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The City of Huntsville approved a large grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. On March 27, the City of Huntsville announced the approval of $300,000 in Emergency Solutions Grant funds to go towards nine local agencies to help vulnerable residents. Under the conditions of ADECA's 2024 ESG Program, Huntsville Community Development Manager Scott Erwin said the City could only distribute funds to nonprofit organizations that provide services to the unsheltered population. 'The City of Huntsville is committed to supporting our most vulnerable residents by partnering with organizations that provide essential services to those experiencing homelessness,' said Erwin. 'These ADECA grant funds will help our local agencies continue their vital work, offering shelter, case management and other critical resources to individuals and families in need. We appreciate the dedication of these organizations and their efforts to make a lasting impact in our community.' The following agencies are receiving awards from the City with ADECA funds: AshaKiran, Inc. – $15,000 Community Action Partnership of Huntsville/Madison and Limestone Counties, Inc. – $108,000 Crisis Services of North Alabama, Inc. – $38,000 First Stop, Inc. – $54,000 Family Services Center, Inc. – $35,000 New Futures, Inc. – $20,000 Salvation Army, Inc. – $18,000 North Alabama Coalition for the Homeless, Inc. – $5,000 Hands Across Decatur, Inc. – $5,000 In April 2024, the Huntsville City Council approved a project that would bring a new multi-family development to the city to provide safe, affordable housing to vulnerable groups. The new 42-unit facility will be built on Venona Avenue and provide affordable housing to people dealing with homelessness, those who have recently dealt with homelessness and people fleeing domestic violence situations. The city approved giving American Rescue Plan money to help partially fund the development during its city council meeting. This building is said to start construction by December 2025. For more information about Community Development's programs, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal funding restored for low-income Alabama utility assistance after outcry
The skyline of Huntsville, Alabama. A spokesperson for Huntsville Utilities told Inside Climate News on Friday that federal funds have been restored to the 255 households that received letters earlier this month saying that an executive order from President Donald Trump had canceled a low-income energy assistance program. () This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. A program meant to help low-income Alabamians pay their utility bills has resumed two weeks after it was canceled due to an executive order from President Donald Trump. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, which administers the grants, told Inside Climate News this week in a one-sentence email that it 'has resumed the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program – Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.' The department did not respond to multiple requests for more information or answer whether it had received guidance from the federal government to reinstate the program after numerous local and national media outlets reported on the story. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The controversy started when 255 households that get power from Huntsville Utilities in north Alabama received letters stating that a $100 credit they had received from the program had been 'rescinded,' and that these households would have to pay back that amount on their next bill. '… the grant you received for $100.00 on January 23, 2025 is no longer valid due to President Trump's Executive Order to rescind the funding behind the grant,' the letter states. 'The grant you received for $100.00 has been debited to your account and will be due with your next invoice.' The media reports focused on those 255 households, but the impact was much larger. Mike Presley, a spokesman for ADECA, told Inside Climate News last week that 'about 2,000' households in Alabama were in some stage of receiving those funds. Presley said on Feb. 11 that ADECA was 'awaiting further guidance from federal agencies on how to proceed.' Joe Gehrdes, director of external affairs for Huntsville Utilities, told Inside Climate News on Friday that the federal funds have been restored to the 255 households that received the letters earlier this month. 'We can confirm the funds are reaching those affected by the previous pause,' Gehrdes said via email. 'Our billing department has been in contact with our local Community Action Partnership, and everything is moving forward as originally intended.' The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program is an effort by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Presley said $53 million of that funding would continue. However, the program received an additional $1 million through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, more commonly called the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Presley said that $1 million was halted due to Trump's executive order 'Unleashing American Energy,' which directs agencies to 'immediately pause the disbursement of funds appropriated through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-169) or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.' It's unclear at this time if or when ADECA received federal guidance to resume the program. Daniel Tait, executive director of clean energy advocacy group Energy Alabama, said questions remain about why Alabama halted and then reinstated the program, while other states never rescinded the funds in the first place. 'We are glad to see that the 2000 or so Alabamians who were promised energy assistance will now get the help they need,' Tait said in an email. 'It appears that the situation was limited to Alabama which raises questions about why our state withheld funds and our neighbors did not. 'Moving fast and breaking things is not smart energy policy and real people get hurt in the crossfire,' Tait said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
