07.06.23

DOT Sec. Buttigieg, Cantwell Visit Port Orchard to Celebrate $9.4 Million Grant to Replace Aging Breakwater

Marina supports vital community services & economic activity for Port Orchard: emergency responders, Suquamish tribal fishing & Kitsap foot ferry rely on a functioning breakwater; Cantwell: “When you're talking about infrastructure, you’ve got to build infrastructure on the water”

PORT ORCHARD, WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, fellow elected officials, and other community stakeholders for a press conference in Port Orchard to celebrate a federal investment to replace the aging and damaged breakwater at the Port Orchard Marina.

The breakwater, which is nearly 50 years old and is already more than 20 years past its useful expected life, was additionally damaged during an October 2022 storm. Sen. Cantwell helped to secure a $9.4 million federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant for the project.

"When you're talking about infrastructure, you’ve got to build infrastructure on the water. And that is what these beautiful communities like Port Orchard, like Bremerton, represent: A great quality of life and some economic development opportunity with good jobs if we make the right investments," Sen. Cantwell said. "I don't think anything says 'resiliency' more than [rebuilding] the breakwater and making sure that we have an infrastructure that can support this foot traffic, and support us when we have critical storms."

 As chair of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Sen. Cantwell worked to authorize the RAISE grant program for the first time ever in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021. She also sent a letter of support to Secretary Buttigieg for the Port of Bremerton to receive this grant in February 2023.

Additional press conference speakers included Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Rep. Derek Kilmer (D, WA-06), Gov. Jay Inslee (D-WA), Suquamish Tribe Chairman Leonard Forsman, and Jim Rothlin, CEO of the Port of Bremerton.

The Port Orchard Marina Breakwater project will replace 1,500 linear feet of a 12-foot wide public breakwater that protects the community of Port Orchard, the marina facilities, the exclusive moorage for the Suquamish Tribes fishing vessels, and the Kitsap Transit passenger ferries. The failing breakwater also protects the only marine fuel facility within 16 nautical miles.

The marina supports essential government emergency response services, tribal and non-tribal commercial fishing, moorage of 341 permanent saltwater slips, 100 guest saltwater slips for recreational use, and moorage exclusively for the Suquamish Tribe. The marina additionally provides moorage for the Kitsap Transit Fast Ferry fleet, which helps transport more than 23,000 passengers per month. In the last year, Kitsap Transit also provided over 200,000 passenger trips to Port Orchard.

A video of today’s press conference is available HERE and a transcript of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks can be found HERE.