Kilmer Announces Funding for Quillayute Harbor Dredging Project
Today, the Army Corps of Engineers announced that it will be prioritizing funding for maintenance dredging related to the Quillayute River Navigation Project. Rep. Derek Kilmer made the following statement in response to the announcement:
“I am pleased the Army Corps of Engineers has reversed course and decided to dredge Quillayute Harbor this year. Not only is this project important for the local economy and the Quileute Tribe’s fishing industry, it supports public safety along the Washington Coast. I’m grateful to Senator Murray and Senator Cantwell for their support in this as well. Congress needs to end the dysfunction and get back to work so that funding for important infrastructure projects like this one isn’t jeopardized.”
Quileute Chairman Chas Woodruff said, “This project is going to help tremendously with the safety of all boaters out here. It’s definitely going to help the economy with not only our tribal fishermen, but all fishermen. We want to thank Representative Kilmer for pushing hard on this and making it happen.”
The dredging project was initially set to have been completed in FY13, but because Congress failed to pass spending bills that fiscal year and instead passed a Continuing Resolution that extended the FY12 spending levels, the Army Corps could only fund projects that had received funding in the previous year.
Rep. Kilmer urged the Corps to prioritize maintenance funding for this project to ensure the community of La Push and Quileute tribal members can continue to access the Harbor, which supports a fishing industry that generates $4 million a year in annual income. The Harbor is also home to a Coast Guard Station supporting public safety. The Army Corps announced its FY14 work plan today, setting aside $1.47 million to complete dredging of the Quillayute Harbor.
Rep. Kilmer sent a letter to the Army Corps last month ([[{"fid":"275","view_mode":"full","fields":{"format":"full"},"type":"media","attributes":{"class":"file media-element file-full"}}]]) encouraging them to complete this work in 2014.
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