HENNEPIN (25News Now) – Ports in Hennepin and Hardin are getting facelifts thanks to millions of dollars in federal grants.
More than $47 million was granted to the ports by the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration. It’s the first time in history that the department has granted Illinois waterway ports money.
The federal government has invested nearly $2 million in port systems within the past two years.
Corn Belt Ports Executive Director Robert Sinkler advocates for port systems on the upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. He said the two ports may not get a lot of attention, but they’re critical to the agriculture business, moving millions of tons of freight a year.
“The entire Illinois waterway handles about 30 million tons of freight,” Sinkler said. “The 10-county Illinois Waterway Ports Commission handles around 15 million tons of freight, making it nearly the 40th largest port in the United States.”
The Hardin port was granted about $10 million for a new storage bin for the Hardin and Jerseyville facilities, plus a new loadout conveyor belt.
The Hennepin port will use more than $38 million to improve the site in multiple ways. Corn Belt Ports Director Chris Smith said it primarily helps move soybean products.
“A new, roughly 700-foot long loading dock, conveyer systems, storage systems, for soybean meal, soybean oil, and soybean hulls [will be built] to more efficiently move these agricultural products,” Smith said.
Sinkler said the grants are great examples of how private ports can work with public entities to receive investments.
“Ninety-five percent of our terminals on the Illinois waterway are privately owned,” Sinkler said. “These are perfect examples of how private industry can team up with local and rural communities as a public-private partnership to pursue grants.”
He said the ports are also major employers of Hennepin and Hardin’s residents, each town having less than 1,000 people. He thinks the updates will be a big benefit to the communities.
“This kind of investment in our small rural, riverfront communities is really important from an economic development standpoint,” Sinkler said. “The Illinois Waterway Ports Commission is an economic development engine and this an important part of really sustaining that engine.”
You can watch 25News – any newscast, anywhere – streaming LIVE on 25NewsNow.com, our 25News mobile app, and on our WEEK 25News SmartTV streaming app. Learn more about how you can get connected to 25News streaming live news here.
Copyright 2024 WEEK. All rights reserved.
Credit: Source link
