| Cates Landing project grant denied; answers sought |
By: John Brannon Messenger Staff Reporter
|
Posted: Monday, February 22, 2010 9:02 pm
|
By JOHN BRANNON
Staff Reporter
Comes now big bucks bad news for the Cates Landing riverport project which is in the early stage of development on the east bank of the Mississippi River near Tiptonville.
An application for a $35 million federal grant has been given the thumbs-down, according to Jimmy Williamson of Dyersburg.
“That is correct. It has been turned down. I don’t know why,” he told The Messenger this weekend.
Williamson is chairman of the nonprofit Northwest Tennessee Port Authority, the parent agency in charge of building the riverport.
An application for a TIGER grant — Transportation Invest-ment Generating Economic Re-covery — was submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation last September.
Williamson said he learned of the negative outcome last week.
He said he hasn’t talked to Congressman John Tanner about it, but will do so Tuesday when he goes to Washington on other business.
Tanner has been a strong proponent of the Cates Landing project for several years.
Randy Ford, Tanner’s chief of staff, responded with a formal statement to The Messenger’s inquiry.
“We learned last week that the port did not receive funding under the TIGER program,” he said. “We will continue to work with local leaders and others to help make the Northwest Tennessee Port and Industrial Park — and the jobs it will help create — a reality.
“Our office is communicating with the Department of Transportation to see why the funding was not made available for this project that we all know will be a major economic boost to our region.”
Financial support
The $35 million was part of a $1.5 billion “package” the federal Transportation Department had for transportation projects in economically distressed areas nationwide. The projects would improve the economy in those areas.
By that criteria, “we fit perfectly,” Williamson said.
It’s not the end of the road for the Cates Landing project, he added. There’s still a possibility of getting a U.S. Department of Agriculture guaranteed low-interest loan. And there’s another round of “discretionary” money — $1.5 billion — about to become available.
“I’m going to see if we can get some of that money,” Williamson said.
Meanwhile, he won’t let it get him down. “I’ve been kicked before,” he said.
The $35 million was to be used to fund construction and commencement of operations of an “intermodal” port, which is described as a 9,000-foot slack water harbor with intermodal dock and freight transfer system, providing rail, truck and river barge connections.
Background
Other data associated with the project includes:
• Dredging of an oxbow for the port on the east bank of the river was completed by the U.S. Corps of Engineers in December.
• An industrial park consisting of 350 acres for use by industry and transport firms requiring port services is part of the construction plan.
• The port has been in the planning and development stage by regional partners about 20 years, according to the Port Authority Web site.
• Completion and operation of the port will create immediate job and economic stimulation and establish long-term employment opportunities.
• The Port of Cates Landing is the result of regional collaboration of the three county sponsors — Lake, Obion and Dyer — and their efforts in partnership with private and public entities, including local, state and federal governments.
• A total of $14.9 million has been invested in the project to date by federal, state, local governments and other funding sources, the Web site states. The U.S. Corps of Engineers committed $4.3 million to the design engineering and dredging of the harbor. The U.S. Department of Agriculture committed $440,000; and the Tennessee Valley Authority committed $200,000.
• The State of Tennessee has invested $3.1 milion in the project.
• All 21 counties in West Tennessee are supporting development of the port. Dyer, Lake and Obion have pledged their faith and credit to the guarantee of Port Authority revenue bonds totaling $2.2 million.
State Rep. Judy Barker said today she is “deeply disappointed we were not awarded the $35 million TIGER grant,” but is committed to securing other sources of funding for the northwest Tennessee port project.
“Through my close, personal involvement with this project, I have seen first hand the countless hours given to help move the riverport project forward,” she said. “Congressman John Tanner is to be commended for his dedication and continuing desire to see its successful completion. I am deeply disappointed that we were not awarded the TIGER grant. However, the port’s significance to economic development in northwest Tennessee is not diminished.
“We will reorganize and work together toward the future completion of this major project.”
Published in The Messenger 2.22.10
|
|
Printer-friendly format
|
|
