Wyden, Merkley, & Schrader Announce $37 Million to Upgrade Port of Tillamook Bay Infrastructure
Washington, D.C. – Oregon Senators Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, and Congressman Kurt Schrader announced today that Oregon will receive more than $37 million for infrastructure improvements at the Port of Tillamook Bay. The funding is made available to Oregon through the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“Port districts are the economic engines of the coastal economy,” Wyden said. “This will allow the Port of Tillamook Bay to improve infrastructure and create jobs for Oregonians working on projects that will enhance the economic sustainability of the entire community.”
“This funding will have a profound effect on Tillamook County, helping to revitalize the Port of Tillamook and create job opportunities in the area,” said Merkley. “Now, the community can move forward and begin a series of economic development projects to provide future economic stability for both the Port of Tillamook and Tillamook County.”
“This FEMA funding will be an economic boon for Tillamook County,” said Schrader. “The build-out of these alternate projects will bring construction jobs and great long term economic development potential to Tillamook County.”
In December 2007, a major storm swept through the Tillamook region. Flooding caused by the storm, significantly destroyed portions of the Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad, making the Port eligible for funding under FEMA’s disaster declaration. The Port Board determined that repairing the railroad was not in the public interest, and proposed a number of alternative projects that would mitigate the loss of the rail line and upgrade port facilities.
The $37,011,344.22 grant will provide public assistance disaster funding to the Port of Tillamook Bay. FEMA will obligate public assistance disaster funding for projects directly to the State.
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