Senator Maria Cantwell Requests Funding for Northern Columbia Basin Railroad Project

PRLog (Press Release) – Jul 12, 2009 – Washington, DC - In a recent press release from U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell regarding her Fiscal Year 2010 Transportation, Judiciary, Housing and Urban Development appropriation requests, the Senator included a request for funding for the Northern Columbia Basin Railroad Project in Moses Lake, Washington.
In the recent release Senator Cantwell writes: “Our state has been particularly hard hit by the economic downturn – unemployment levels have skyrocketed and I’ve heard from many local communities struggling to cover basic services like education, public safety, transportation and health care.  As a United States Senator, part of my job is to help critical priorities in our state receive attention from the federal government so that we can help reinvigorate our economy, create new, high-paying jobs, and help our working families stay ahead in these tough economic times….Every year, I receive hundreds of requests for assistance from cities, counties, water and utility districts, transportation agencies, and others. I carefully review and evaluate these requests — and choose to submit a selection of these projects to the Committee."
One of the key projects in which Sen. Maria Cantwell requested funding (for the FY 2010 Transportation, Judiciary, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill) is the Northern Columbia Basin Railroad Project (Segment 2 and Segment 3 Construction – Port of Moses Lake).
According to the recent release (http://cantwell.senate.gov/news/record.cfm?id=313084) from Sen. Cantwell, “The Northern Columbia Basin Railroad project is an overall $36.5 million investment in freight mobility and industrial development in Moses Lake and Grant County.  The project has five segments that when completed will bypass downtown Moses Lake in favor of a more efficient direct route to the Grant County International Airport industrial area.  It will also offer a strategic rail connection to the BNSF mainline near Soap Lake. Approximately half of the industrial-zoned property within the Moses Lake uniform growth area is near the Grant County Int’l Airport, north of Moses Lake.  This is highly attractive property to large manufacturers that want to develop industries in Washington State.  The area is already hosting international companies such as General Dynamics, Takata, Tama Chemicals, Boeing, Nippon Chemi-Con and Genie Industries.  More efficient and competitive rail connectivity is recognized as an important infrastructure upgrade”
“Amount Requested: $19,000,000”