VA Congresswoman-elect Elaine Luria discusses shore-related issues that needs federal funding

ACCOMACK COUNTY, Va. – On Monday, a newly elected Congresswoman paid a visit to the Eastern Shore. Elaine Luria, a member-elect to the US House of Representatives wanted to see what issues needed to be addressed locally.

With her new role, this was a way for her to get the ball rolling and get the conversation started, even a month before she gets sworn in.

There were multiple topics brought up but probably the biggest ones were funding for Wallops island, funding for infrastructure and expansion for broadband.

We’re told funding needs to keep coming in for Wallops Island Flight Facility because time to time, they hear about cutbacks. That inconsistent source of income brings fears for business owners.

We continue with the economic impact to our next line of needed funds: the possibility of a multi-million dollar sewage transmission line.

Robert Crockett, the chairman of the Accomack Co. Board of Supervisors says, “The possibility of running a main sewer line from Nassawadox up to Accomac and into the town of Onancock.”

But probably the biggest problem that they want to address is the expansion of broadband.

Elaine Meil, the Executive Director of the Accomack County Planning District Commission says, “Right now, we’re on a major expansion we’re going to do another $5 million expansion that’s going to take broadband fiber to the premises to all of the town’s of Eastern Shore and that includes, the town of tangier and the Bay. Something as important as this infrastructure is going to be necessary to our economic development future and without it, we aren’t going to succeed or get ahead.”

This broadband expansion to cover 100% of Virginia’s Eastern Shore would cost $29.2 million. We’re told it’s going to take funds that they don’t have locally.

“It was really an educational experience gives me a lot of good background information to know the priorities and I wanted to make sure to come here before January,” Luria tells us.

Luria says she now wants to hear what community members have to say. Her top priority is to make sure they have a good district office and good constituent services and she wants to be as responsive as possible to everyone.