Washington, D.C. — Ohio Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, announced that two U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) grants totaling $27,000,000 will be awarded to the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority and Port of Cleveland to carry out important infrastructure projects at each location.
The funds were awarded competitively, and both highlight and strengthen Toledo and Cleveland’s regional and national importance in shipping. Rep. Kaptur will join the Port Authorities and U.S. DOT officials to outline the awards in Ohio on Friday, February 14th.
“I am thrilled that both the Port of Toledo and Port of Cleveland have been recognized by the Department of Transportation for national funding,” said Rep. Kaptur. “Today’s announcement is a major victory and step forward for Northern Ohio’s shipping infrastructure. Last year, I sent a letter urging DOT Secretary Elaine Chao to accept both grant applications. Thank you to the DOT for prioritizing these critical infrastructure projects by awarding more than $27,000,000 in federal funds.”
“While I am concerned that President Trump’s FY2021 budget request proposes eliminating funding for the Port Infrastructure Development Program, as a senior Member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will work to ensure projects like these continue to be funded by Congress and will continue to work with the Administration to make sure Northern Ohio remains a funding priority.”
Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority: $16 Million
- The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority will utilize the funding at the Facility No.1 cargo terminal to repair the failing dock face wall, implement a liquid bulk transloading operation, and to modernize the on-dock rail to vessel transfer points of access. The $16,000,000 awarded to the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority will be matched with an additional $4,000,000 in local funds to move the project forward.
- As the largest land mass seaport on the Great Lakes, the Port serves as a vital multimodal link in the Great Lakes’ regional transportation network. Each year the Port of Toledo handles 9-12 million tons of cargo shipped to and from other U.S. Great Lakes ports, Canadian Great Lakes ports, and directly overseas shipments via the St. Lawrence Seaway System. The Port of Toledo alone generates $1.12 billion annually in business activities and supports over 7000 jobs in the region.
Cleveland: $11 Million
- In the past, the Port's Dock's 24 and 26 have averaged 80 vessel calls per year and have moved an annual average of 420,000 metric tons of cargo. The poor condition of Dock 26 required its closure in December of 2018, with a portion of that cargo being transferred to Dock 24, which itself has only 10 years of useful life left. The funding will allow the Port to modernize and repair this vital port infrastructure and increase cargo volumes. The Port predicts that cargo volumes could double over the next 20 years. The $11,000,0000 awarded to the Port of Cleveland will be match with an additional $5,900,000 in local funds to move the project forward.
- The Port of Cleveland is one of the largest ports on the Great Lakes, with more than 13 million tons of cargo moving through Cleveland Harbor each year. According to a 2016 port commissioned economic impact study, this cargo handling activity employs 20,273 maritime sector workers and generates $3.5 billion in economic activity in the region. With this important economic value in mind, I urge the application's favorable review consistent with your agency's rules and regulations.
Photo by: Ken Robinson / WTAM 1100
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