The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Infrastructure ‘a critical need’
Esty aims to help rural communities
“I see it as a huge opportunity for us to shorten the learning curve, to make sure no one’s left behind. No matter where you live, you can still benefit from the best of American ingenuity — the best ideas, the best planning, the best new materials.” U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty
TORRINGTON — U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty, DConn., recently introduced legislation aimed to help smaller communities plan, fund and execute infrastructure projects — a need in the Northwest Corner and beyond.
The Rural Infrastructure Development and Partnerships Act would create an office in the U.S. Department of Agriculture that would provide technical assistance to smaller communities; establish an online database for towns to share best practices; and direct a liaison to represent the interest of rural towns in other federal agencies, according to Esty’s office.
Esty said Monday that the idea for the legislation had come with officials from throughout the region she represents, including Torrington Mayor Elinor Carbone and Cornwall First Selectman Gordon Ridgway, and become more pressing in recent days, as President Donald Trump readied an infrastructure proposal that would likely create greater competition for grants.
The legislation would provide expertise for smaller towns, who might not be able to afford to hire someone to write grant applications or the wherewithal to do so on their own, Esty said. It would also create a “point person” to handle concerns and questions for these municipalities.
“It seems to me that we needed to do something to help small communities compete,” said Esty.
The online database will use the power of the internet to spread best practices, as well as what is ineffective — something not always done, both at the local and federal level, and can be out of the financial reach out of small towns, Esty said.
“Getting information together about what has worked well and what has not can be tremendously beneficial for communities. And there’s no systematic place for collecting that information,” said Esty. “We know that data is powerful, and we want to make sure, again, that smaller communities or rural communities don’t get left behind.”
The web is how we solve problems these days, Esty said. As an example, she pointed to the example of her daughter, who watched a video to learn how to remove links from a watchband.
“I see it as a huge opportunity for us to shorten the learning curve, to make sure no one’s left behind. No matter where you live, you can still benefit from the best of American ingenuity — the best ideas, the best planning, the best new materials,” said Esty.
Infrastructure is a critical need — both in smaller communities, and in the nation as a whole, Esty said. Not addressing it has financial costs, such as shipments delayed by a broken truck axle, and human ones, like lost jobs. The effect can become catastrophic, such as when a bridge collapses or a train derails.
The need includes better leveraging the power of modern communications — towns and communities should have access to broadband as it becomes a more meaningful part of the economy, Esty said. It’s a common problem in Northwest Connecticut, she said.
“I pretty much know, by now, when I need to get off the phone or to apologize ahead of time. Like, ‘I’m about a mile from a farm where the coverage is going to disappear,’ ” said Esty. “That’s not very functional in the 21st century. We ought to be able to do better than that.”
The legislation is cosponsored by Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., Rep. John Faso, R-N.Y., and Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt. Esty said all four represent rural areas and want to ensure that they are not forgotten as future agreements and governmental efforts move forward.
Ridgway and Canaan First Selectman Henry Todd, both representatives of smaller towns, shared their approval of the proposed legislation in a release from Esty’s office.
“With all the pressures on rural America and with most of the government’s aid going to urban areas, anything that Congresswoman Esty can do to facilitate assistance for areas like ours is appreciated and needed,” said Todd.
“While others are threatening to shut down the federal government, Elizabeth Esty has remained open for business,” said Ridgway. “This is great for rural areas like ours if we are going to increase resources in our areas. If we are going to improve services like expanding broadband, telecommunications, and internet services, we will need government assistance on these upcoming projects.”
Working to highlight the needs of smaller communities will help ensure that they are included in the large-scale maneuverings of federal government, Esty said. It’s an issue of fairness, she said.
“When people think of federal infrastructure, they’re thinking of soaring bridges and towering dams and massive interstates. And all of those are important — important as the backbone for commerce and for travel in the United States,” said Esty.
“But we’re also a nature with agricultural and rural routes, and there’s an ongoing need — and I would say a real opportunity — to make good on this country’s commitment, to say that no matter who you are or where you come from, you have a shot at the American Dream,” said Esty.
The full text of the proposed legislation, also known as H.R. 4947, is available at Congress.gov.
According to the Congressional website, it was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture for consideration Feb. 6.
Esty put forward a larger plan for addressing the country’s infrastructure in January.