Port of Grays Harbor recieves $25.5 million federal grant

By Allen Leister The Daily World • November 1, 2022 1:30 am
Daily World File Photo With the political backing of Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Gig Harbor) as well as Washington’s two Democratic Senators, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, the Port of Grays Harbor received a $25.5 million Port Infrastructure Development Program grant on Friday, Oct. 28.
Daily World File Photo With the political backing of Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Gig Harbor) as well as Washington’s two Democratic Senators, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, the Port of Grays Harbor received a $25.5 million Port Infrastructure Development Program grant on Friday, Oct. 28.

For many industries and corporations across the country, supply chain issues stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be an issue. As the American economy attempts to recover to pre-pandemic levels, a boost to the Grays Harbor economy appears to be on the horizon.

On Friday, Oct. 28, the Port of Grays Harbor was awarded a $25.5 million federal grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP). The grant comes as other seaports across Washington state also received federal grants including the Port of Port Angeles, Port of Olympia and Port of Seattle among others.

According to the Port of Grays Harbor, the PIDP grant will be used to construct an additional 50,000 feet of rail to accommodate unit trains and railcar storage. The funding will also help repurpose a 50-acre brownfield site into a breakbulk cargo handling and laydown area, complete access and roadway improvements, as well as help replace marine terminal fendering systems.

The construction aims to help the Port of Grays Harbor expand its rail infrastructure to support a “significant expansion and enhancement” of Ag Processing Inc’s (AGP) export terminal. AGP, an existing tenant of the Port and a leading soybean meal exporter in the United States, announced an expansion at the Port in July that will ultimately allow the facility to increase soybean meal exports from three million to six million metric tons.

“We are incredibly grateful to our federal delegation and their staffs, who truly understand the importance of strategic transportation investment, for all of their support and leadership in securing this critical funding for the Terminal 4 Expansion & Redevelopment Project,” said Port of Grays Harbor Commission President Tom Quigg. “This project will allow us to accommodate AGP’s growth and private investment here in Grays Harbor, increase international shipments of U.S.-grown and processed soybean meal, and sustain thousands of farming jobs throughout the Midwest while creating new jobs for our community.”

Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Gig Harbor) alongside Democratic Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, all advocated for the grant and wrote a letter of support for the Port of Grays Harbor to U.S Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in mid-September.

“This announcement is about jobs. It’s about creating economic opportunity. Our ports are amazing engines of economic development in our region. Improving our port’s infrastructure to support their ability to export American products abroad shouldn’t fall on the backs of taxpayers in Grays Harbor,” said Rep. Kilmer after the PIDP grant had been approved. “That’s why I fought to help secure this vital new investment from the federal government. This will help create good-paying jobs in our region.”

The Port of Grays Harbor is the closest mainland port to the Pacific Rim and provides the most efficient sea route to Southeast Asian markets as well as railway travel to Midwest states.