US$12.5 million in harbour assistance awards in Wisconsin area

Project Updates - March 8, 2010

Governor Jim Doyle has announced US$12,559,513 in state Harbour Assistance Programme (HAP) awards for three projects in Wisconsin that will make repairs and improvements to docks and harbour facilities in Green Bay and Manitowoc. The funds for these three projects will help create more than 130 jobs and retain more than 600 jobs in Wisconsin.

“Wisconsin’s ports are hubs of economic activity, moving over US$7 billion worth of goods each year,” Governor Doyle said. “We are proud to partner with Green Bay and Manitowoc on these projects that will help their ports continue a great tradition and create and retain good, family-supporting jobs.”

Since taking office in 2003, Governor Doyle has made major investments in an economy built around the Great Lakes, providing US$32.8 million in state Harbor Assistance Program awards for important construction and repair projects at ports and harbors around the state. Other awards in just the past year include projects in Superior, Oconto, and Sister Bay.

The HAP grant recipients announced include:

• Green Bay, Brown County/Port of Green Bay, will receive US$7,141,835 to begin construction of the rock spine that will anchor the restored Cat Islands in the Bay of Green Bay. Restoring these three barrier islands will provide for placement of over 2.3 million cubic yards of clean dredge material, which will extend the life of the port’s confined disposal facility by 20 years and provide protection and ecological enhancement to the Duck Creek area. This project will create 100 new jobs and retain more than 600 jobs.

• US Oil Company of Green Bay will receive US$1,945,880 to construct a motor fuel loading facility at the Fox River terminal in Green Bay. It will include the installation of shock absorbing bumpers and a platform 21 feet away from the existing dock wall with dredging to 24ft depth. This facility will provide an environmentally friendly way to back up the existing pipelines that serve the motor fuel needs of northeastern Wisconsin. This project will create 28 new jobs and retain four jobs.

• The City of Manitowoc will receive US$3,471,798 to rehabilitate the dock wall by installing 960 linear feet of steel sheet pile, new protective fenders and bollards. Completion of this project will allow the continued movement of armour stone out of the Manitowoc harbor and the development of new bulk cargoes. This project will create four new jobs and retain two jobs.

The state HAP award will cover 80 per cent of the project costs with the grant recipients providing the required 20 percent match.

Created in 1979, Wisconsin’s Harbour Assistance Programme helps harbour communities maintain and improve waterborne commerce. Projects typically involve dock reconstruction, mooring structure replacement, dredging and the construction of facilities to hold dredged material.