Friday, June 16, 2023
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding the Port of Brookings Harbor $3.5 million for a community-initiated project for a wastewater treatment plant to support a sustainable future for the Port’s fish processing industry and promote economic growth in the region.
“Reliable infrastructure is critical to fish processing facilities up and down the Oregon coast,” said Merkley, Chair of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds this program. “These funds will support the fish processing in Brookings Harbor, ensuring this critical industry is able to continue to grow in our coastal communities, and keep Oregon a leader in seafood. I’ll continue to do all I can to ensure all of our industries have the reliable infrastructure needed to thrive.”
“Oregonians living and working on the South Coast deserve federal support for the modern and dependable infrastructure they count on for quality of life in their community,” Wyden said. “I’m gratified the Port of Brookings has earned this federal investment in fish processing that generates local jobs, and I’ll keep battling for all Oregon coastal communities to secure similar resources.”
“The wastewater treatment plant is going to give the Port and commercial fishing a viable location for unloading and processing to take place at the Port of Brookings and give us a foreseeable future for fish processing in Brookings,” said Travis Webster, Manager, Port of Brookings.
This project is one of around 300 community-initiated projects throughout Oregon that Senators Merkley and Wyden secured in government funding bills over the last two years, including many that focus on improving water infrastructure and conservation in communities across the state.
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