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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence - BOCC (004)February 21, 2023 GRANT COUNTY OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS P O Box 37 EPHRATA WA 98823 (509) 754-2011 Re: Support of Funding Request for Port of Quincy Rail Infrastructure Expansion Project To whom it may concern, Grant County Commissioners are writing in support of the funding request for the "Port of Quincy Rail Infrastructure Expansion Project", which would expand the rail infrastructure on the northeast side of Quincy, WA, both within the Port's current rail terminal and to nearby industrial zoned properties. In particular, the Rail Infrastructure Expansion project would add several new rail tracks to the Port's rail terminal which would expand upon the Port's existing rail infrastructure which has been in successful operation for many years. The capacity, flexibility and efficiency of the rail terminal facility would be greatly increased by creating new tracks to store incoming empty rail cars and loaded cars ready for departure without obstructing the loading tracks. Additionally, it would allow for longer trains to be loaded or unloaded at the Port's rail terminal without obstructing the existing BNSF Mainline track. The proposed design is intended to be easily expanded in the future to serve potential new industries, including a potential extension to the east across Road O NW. The above proposed rail infrastructure additions are necessary to help attract and/or accommodate large job -creating industrial, manufacturing, and food processing projects on the northeast side of Quincy, as well as to keep up with the increasing growth in ocean container freight (including frozen and dry agricultural products from central/eastern Washington) going from the Port of Quincy to the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma. Furthermore, the Port of Quincy has been receiving some inquiries from shippers and other stakeholders about the possibility of utilizing the Port of Quincy Intermodal Terminal as a westbound inland container port in central Washington in which trains could be loaded at the Rail Terminal with ocean containers of Washington State agricultural products and then be railed to the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma to be loaded onto ocean container ships. Because of the above-mentioned increased interest in utilizing the Rail Terminal by food processors and manufacturers as well as the additional cargo and containers that are being loaded and unloaded at the rail terminal there, it is very important that the rail infrastructure at the Quincy Rail Terminal be expanded. Overall, the Port of Quincy Rail Infrastructure Expansion Project has a statewide and regional benefit as it will help to provide more freight mobility options to Pacific Northwest and Washington State agricultural and food shippers and exporters, attract industrial and manufacturing projects that will create family wage jobs, lessen wear and tear on freeways, highways, and mountain passes by converting over -the -road freight to rail freight, and decrease fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Danny E. Stone Rob Jones Cindy Carter District 1 District District 3 "To MEET CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS, SERVING TOGETHER WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES, WHILE FOSTERING A RESPECTFUL AND SUCCESSFUL WORK ENVIRONMENT." u �x � r E1 sZeTa �! j � H k.. GRANT COUNTY OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS P O Box 37 EPHRATA WA 98823 (509) 754-2011 Re: Support of Funding Request for Port of Quincy Rail Infrastructure Expansion Project To whom it may concern, Grant County Commissioners are writing in support of the funding request for the "Port of Quincy Rail Infrastructure Expansion Project", which would expand the rail infrastructure on the northeast side of Quincy, WA, both within the Port's current rail terminal and to nearby industrial zoned properties. In particular, the Rail Infrastructure Expansion project would add several new rail tracks to the Port's rail terminal which would expand upon the Port's existing rail infrastructure which has been in successful operation for many years. The capacity, flexibility and efficiency of the rail terminal facility would be greatly increased by creating new tracks to store incoming empty rail cars and loaded cars ready for departure without obstructing the loading tracks. Additionally, it would allow for longer trains to be loaded or unloaded at the Port's rail terminal without obstructing the existing BNSF Mainline track. The proposed design is intended to be easily expanded in the future to serve potential new industries, including a potential extension to the east across Road O NW. The above proposed rail infrastructure additions are necessary to help attract and/or accommodate large job -creating industrial, manufacturing, and food processing projects on the northeast side of Quincy, as well as to keep up with the increasing growth in ocean container freight (including frozen and dry agricultural products from central/eastern Washington) going from the Port of Quincy to the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma. Furthermore, the Port of Quincy has been receiving some inquiries from shippers and other stakeholders about the possibility of utilizing the Port of Quincy Intermodal Terminal as a westbound inland container port in central Washington in which trains could be loaded at the Rail Terminal with ocean containers of Washington State agricultural products and then be railed to the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma to be loaded onto ocean container ships. Because of the above-mentioned increased interest in utilizing the Rail Terminal by food processors and manufacturers as well as the additional cargo and containers that are being loaded and unloaded at the rail terminal there, it is very important that the rail infrastructure at the Quincy Rail Terminal be expanded. Overall, the Port of Quincy Rail Infrastructure Expansion Project has a statewide and regional benefit as it will help to provide more freight mobility options to Pacific Northwest and Washington State agricultural and food shippers and exporters, attract industrial and manufacturing projects that will create family wage jobs, lessen wear and tear on freeways, highways, and mountain passes by converting over -the -road freight to rail freight, and decrease fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Danny E. Stone Rob Jones Cindy Carter District 1 District District 3 "To MEET CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS, SERVING TOGETHER WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES, WHILE FOSTERING A RESPECTFUL AND SUCCESSFUL WORK ENVIRONMENT." In conclusion, we support the funding request for the "Port of Quincy Rail Infrastructure Expansion Project", which would expand and enhance rail infrastructure to attract/meet industrial and economic growth in Quincy and Grant County and to be able to handle the increasing volumes of westbound export container freight and eastbound rail freight. Thank you for your consideration of this important matter. Sincerely, BOARD OF GRANT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Rob�F s, Chair :bl 15y� Cindy Carter, Vice -Chair A Danny. Stone, Member