09.13.23

$3.1 Million to Ship Grain Through Port of Chehalis, Cantwell, Murray Announce

Once completed, new grain storage and transload facility will generate $3 million in annual economic activity in Lewis County

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Patty Murray (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, announced that the Port of Chehalis will receive $3.14 million to build a new grain storage and rail transload facility to store, load, and unload more grain. The funding for this award comes from the Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA).

"These federal resources are an investment and vote of confidence in the future of Lewis County,” said Sen. Cantwell. “The new grain storage and loading facility at the Port of Chehalis will support 50 local jobs, develop Southwest Washington’s grain industry, and help more farmers grow barley by increasing access to new and existing markets around the country and the world.”

“This grant is a big deal for the Port of Chehalis and Lewis County—not only is it going to support our agriculture industry and local businesses, but it will also help create dozens of good-paying jobs in the area,” said Sen. Murray. “Congressional Democrats are working hand-in-hand with President Biden to build an economy that works for the middle-class and make sure communities like Chehalis have the resources they need to succeed.”

The EDA award will be matched with $1.8 million in state and local funds and will support 50 local jobs. Once completed, the grain storage and rail transport facility will allow regional grain producers to serve new and existing markets and is estimated to generate up to $3 million in annual economic activity and attract $3.4 million in private investments for the region.

Sen. Cantwell and Sen. Murray have been strong advocates for Washington state’s ports and transportation infrastructure. In June, Sen. Cantwell and Murray announced $132 million in infrastructure investments from the RAISE program, which was authorized for the first time ever by Sen. Cantwell in the Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021. Sen. Murray established the RAISE grant program in 2009, which was originally created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as TIGER grants.

In 2015, Sen. Cantwell created the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program in the FAST Act. Both Sens. Cantwell and Murray fought to secure $8 billion for the INFRA grant program in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Since the program’s creation in 2015, the State of Washington has been awarded over $268.8 million.

Sen. Cantwell coauthored the 2019 legislation that reauthorized the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) and both Sens. Cantwell and Murray fought to secure a historic investment of $2.25 billion for the PIDP in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In 2022, Sens. Cantwell and Murray championed $71.4 million in PIDP funding for ports in Washington state.