A grant received by the Boone County Ambulance Authority may soon make cellular service a reality for that area, in addition to expanding the statewide emergency radio project.

The BCAA has received approval for an additional $70,000 from the WV Public Service Commission to build a communications tower in the Big Coal River area of Boone County.

"This is in addition to the $130,000 previously approved by the PSC for the tower which is to be used for emergency communications and potentially cell phone companies," said BCAA Director Archie Hubbard.

In the spring of 2006, Hubbard completed an application for a grant that became available as a result of a new WV law that allowed agencies to apply for funding through the Tower Access Assistance Fund.

This grant is to build towers in areas of the state that have no cellular coverage and are not necessarily attractive to cellular companies, according to Hubbard.

The law also requires the tower be available for use by emergency service entities. The Boone County Commission endorsed applying for the grant and has indicated they would provide a portion of the remaining funds needed to complete the project.

The tower is also needed for potential expansion of coverage by the new state-wide radio system, WV Interoperable Radio System, which is in development and of which a site is being constructed behind Boone Memorial Hospital, set to be completed in the next several weeks.

"The Sheriff’s Department and Boone County Schools as well as fire and EMS in the county are expected to participate in the new system," Hubbard said.

90% of the cost of the site behind the hospital, which will be well in excess of $500,000 when complete, is being made available by Homeland Security funds obtained by a separate grant obtained by the Boone County Ambulance Authority through the WV and US Departments of Homeland Security, according to Hubbard. The Commission purchased a building to be used at the site.

"One of the significant reasons the grant was approved is the high volume of vehicle traffic on route 94 between Racine and Marmet," Hubbard said. "The WV Department of Transportation reported the daily traffic of the two-lane highway to be 10,000 vehicles."

Two of the larger cell companies in the state had shown an interest in the site several months ago, but there are no firm commitments at this point, according to Hubbard.