WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Maria Cantwell (D-WA), the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02), a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, announced the Port of Everett will receive $15,500,000 in federal funding to make improvements to 58 acres of land on Everett’s waterfront. The funds will help prepare the area for future freight transportation on the site.
“This grant award is a win-win for the Port of Everett that will clean-up a neglected environmental hazard while also restoring the former Kimberly-Clark mill site to support maritime freight and commerce—stimulating Everett’s waterfront economy, and creating hundreds of new jobs in our state’s fastest growing county,” Senator Murray said. “I will continue fighting to strengthen federal infrastructure investments, and pushing to ensure the federal government remains a ready partner in addressing critical infrastructure needs in Puget Sound and across Washington state.”
“Investing in Everett’s working waterfront creates more maritime jobs and more economic development for the entire community. Cleaning up the former Kimberly-Clark mill site will expand opportunities for the port to continue investing in Everett’s cutting-edge maritime workforce,” Senator Cantwell said.
“This is great news for the businesses and jobs that depend on the Port of Everett to connect local goods and services with global markets,” said Larsen. “I will continue to be a strong supporter of strengthening federal investment in Washington’s infrastructure to help sustain and build on local projects, put people to work and keep our economy moving.”
The grant will allow the port to acquire a 58-acre brownfield site, part of which is currently submerged tideland, and construct utilities, storm water improvements, and paving in support of future container-on-barge service in the area. The funds come from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) program.
“I am thrilled that the Port of Everett has received this award, and thank our congressional delegation as well as the Department of Transportation for supporting this investment in our community. These dollars will go a long way toward restoring this former mill site back into productive economic use, adding even more jobs to our working waterfront,” said Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin.
“The Port of Everett is thrilled to receive this BUILD grant to help us purchase the former Kimberly-Clark mill site for maritime development. We will now be able to put this strategic site back into productive use, creating hundreds of jobs for the Everett-area economy. The Port greatly appreciates the strong support given to our grant application by Senators Murray and Cantwell and Congressman Larsen,” said Lisa Lefeber, the CEO and Executive Director of the Port of Everett.
Previously known as Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, the DOT’s BUILD program invests in important road, rail, transit, and port projects, including Washington state’s ferry terminal in Mukilteo and terminal modernization projects at the Port of Everett. Senator Murray helped create the BUILD program in 2009, and advocated for federal investments in the Port of Everett project to the Department of Transportation, including writing a letter of support. Additionally, Senator Cantwell has long supported BUILD and has helped projects throughout Washington state receive funding through the program. In August, Larsen sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Chao urging support for the Port of Everett’s BUILD grant application, citing the project’s importance to the local and regional economy. Further, Larsen supported an increase in funding for BUILD grants in the FY2020 House Appropriations bill.
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