Funding will support the Swinomish fishing fleet
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced a new federal grant of over $11 million to support the Swinomish Tribe’s work to develop port facilities. This funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—which Senator Murray was a leader in negotiating and passing. Specifically, these resources will help build a boat ramp, maintenance shed, and begin planning for a marina. The Swinomish Tribe has the second-largest tribal fishing fleet in the state, and these resources will help them support their fishing families.
“The waterways in the Pacific Northwest have always sustained the Swinomish Tribe. That’s why I fought hard to get critical resources in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to improve the water infrastructure that delivers good-paying jobs to the Swinomish Tribe,” said Senator Murray. “I fight hard for Washington waterways and infrastructure because I know how important it is to our communities, our economy, and especially our Tribes. I will always be a voice for Washington state’s tribes in the U.S. Senate and fight for the resources they need.”
“I want to thank our federal partners, especially Representative Larsen and Senator Murray, for this tremendous investment in the Swinomish Port Authority,” said Steve Edwards, Chairman of the Swinomish Tribe.“This funding will enable the Tribe to build critical maritime infrastructure to support our fishing fleet and plan for sustainable economic development in our local economy. Because of this support, our vision can now become reality.”
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests more than $17 billion in port infrastructure and waterways with the primary aim of addressing needed repairs and maintenance backlogs, reducing congestion to strengthen our supply chains and remove bottlenecks to expedite commerce, cutting emissions near ports by boosting electrification, and investing in other low-carbon technologies to reduce environmental impacts on neighboring communities.
In particular, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law designates $450 million annually for the next five years for the Port Infrastructure Development Program. This will allow significant improvements to port facilities and projects that include: loading and unloading of goods at a port; movement of goods into, out of, around, or within a port; resilience projects addressing rising sea-level, flooding, extreme weather events, and natural disasters; and environmental and emissions mitigation measures.
Senator Murray has long fought for Washington state’s ports and waterways. Earlier this month, Senator Murray announced a federal grant of over $4.1 million from the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration for the purchase of an electric dock crane at the Port of Vancouver. In August, Senator Murray held a roundtable discussion in Longview on her recent efforts to support the Port of Longview, strengthen supply chains, and help create good-paying jobs.
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