Huge News Regarding a Significant Federal Investment in Economic Development on the Peninsula
Hello Folks –
I hope this newsletter finds you well as we enter August (how is it already August?!). While the weather shows no signs of cooling off any time soon, there’s actually been some great news for our region coming out of D.C. recently. With that in mind, let’s get into it!
A Major Win for the North Olympic Peninsula
As many readers of this newsletter know, I grew up on the Olympic Peninsula and was in high school right around the time the timber industry took it on the chin. I saw a lot of folks in our community lose their jobs and their livelihoods. It had a big impact on me.
It’s why I studied economic development policy in college and grad school. It’s why I worked in economic development, it’s why I ran for office and it’s why I introduced the RECOMPETE Act – bipartisan legislation to establish a new federal grant program to invest in communities that have faced long-term economic challenges.
Excitingly, that bill was turned into the Recompete Pilot Program, which President Joe Biden signed into law in 2022 as part of a comprehensive economic competitiveness bill called the CHIPS and Science Act.
The mission of Recompete is simple: to empower communities with flexible multi-year grants to meet local economic development needs, create good jobs, and rebuild stronger with lasting opportunity.
It’s a recognition that America cannot compete if it leaves people – and entire communities – on the economic sidelines.
I am absolutely thrilled to announce that, just this week, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded $35 million to reinvigorate the economy on the North Olympic Peninsula.
At the end of last year, the North Olympic Peninsula Recompete Coalition (NOPRC) – a diverse coalition of regional economic development leaders, local governments, Tribal nations, and education leaders, was awarded a Strategic Development Grant to enhance local planning and coordination efforts.
Out of 565 applications across 49 states, NOPRC was named one of twenty-two national finalists for the implementation funding we are celebrating this week. Now, the NOPRC has been a national awardee – and will be able to utilize $35 million to chart a course for an economic resurgence that honors our past while innovating for our future.
Specifically, the funding will help NOPRC drive renewed economic competitiveness and good job opportunities in the region. Specifically, the funding will support the expansion of the Composite Recycling Technology Center, a facility that manufactures Advanced Cross-Laminated Timber (ACLT) in cooperation with the Makah Tribe; critical marine transportation infrastructure; and a workforce strategy with social support services. This investment means we will be able to ensure that we can create good-paying, long-lasting jobs that will reinvigorate the region’s economy for decades to come.
The Recompete Pilot Program is more than just another policy initiative. It’s a beacon of hope for communities that have been overlooked. Designed specifically for regions that are considered “economically distressed” by the EDA – those where employment among 25- to 54-year-olds lags behind the national average – the Recompete Pilot Program aims to revitalize economic activity in distressed communities, including right here in Western Washington.
Seeing the RECOMPETE Act – an idea I’ve championed for years – come to fruition with this funding for the North Olympic Peninsula gives some real cause for hope. Indeed, the NOPRC is a terrific example of what we can achieve through the power of partnership. It’s a culmination of years of dedicated effort by community leaders and passionate individuals who believe in the Olympic Peninsula’s potential.
Together, we are showing a commitment to not only revive but reinvent our legacy industries. We are crafting a strategy for growth and resilience that can serve as a model for other communities. And while we’re still writing the story of the Olympic Peninsula, our journey toward a stronger economy continues – powered by the will and innovation of folks who care about the community. As a PA native, I’m proud to be a partner. Let’s keep at it!
Investing in Regional Climate Resilience
With 3,000 miles of coastline and more than 70,000 miles of rivers and waterways, our state is particularly prone to the threats posed by the climate crisis. From sea level rise to coastal erosion to loss of vital habitats and ecosystems, climate change is threatening the way of life, economic security, and health and safety of communities across our region.
At the end of July, I was thrilled to announce, alongside Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded more than $75 million in federal funding for projects here in Washington to help make our state’s coast more resilient to climate change and other coastal hazards. This funding, through the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge, was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, which I voted for and which was signed into law by President Biden.
This funding will help complete major projects across our region – like realigning SR112 on the Peninsula, restoring critical shoreline on Puget Sound and on the coast, improving stormwater drainage, and protecting and restoring important fish habitat. These transformational projects will create jobs, protect the environment, and make coastal communities more resilient. That’s a big deal for our region.
For years, I have advocated for increased federal funding for Tribal relocation and resilience efforts, and this recent investment by NOAA is yet another step towards that goal.
I’m proud to have been able to help secure this crucial funding for major projects in our region, and I’ll keep working back in D.C. to ensure the federal government continues to invest in local efforts to make our coastal and Tribal communities more resilient.
Working for You
Working to Fix Congress
In July, I joined members of the House Modernization Subcommittee and the Fix Congress Cohort for a discussion on how we can make Congress work better for the American people.
Supporting Family Caregivers
Thank you to the folks from AARP Washington for stopping by to see me in DC! I’m proud to support policies that ensure family caregivers get the support they need!
OK – that’s it for now, folks. As always, I’m honored to represent you.
Sincerely,
Derek Kilmer