SOS: NOAA funding cuts would hurt coastal Washington
An additional $4.255 million for operations and maintenance work was released Monday by the Army Corps of Engineers for shoreline revetment and navigation in Grays Harbor County.
The additional funding will be used for extended maintenance dredging of Grays Harbor and repair of the Point Chehalis breakwater in Westport. The additional funding brings the total operations and maintenance for Grays Harbor to $15.965 million for the fiscal year 2018.
“This additional federal funding directly supports Grays Harbor’s nationally significant marine commerce activity including the shipment of cargo at our marine terminals and commercial seafood landings at the Westport Marina that combined create thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions in local economic activity,” said Port of Grays Harbor Executive Director Gary Nelson. “We want to recognize and thank our federal delegation, Senator Patty Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell and Congressman Derek Kilmer, for their hard work in ensuring the funding for construction, operations and maintenance of our nation’s waterways remains a priority.”
The original Army Corps allotment for the Port of Grays Harbor is being used for routine operations and maintenance for navigation activities, including extensive export activity, Coast Guard search & rescue, tribal fishing activities and critical fleet maintenance support service. Routine work includes outer harbor hopper dredging and inner harbor clam shell dredging.
The Army Corps of Engineers also announced Monday $290,000 for projects in the Willapa River and Willapa Harbor. According to the Corps, the funds will be used for maintenance dredging, condition surveys and environmental documentation.
Source: The Daily World