March 13, 2024 — “Port Precision” – A routine communication to all Port Managers covering matters that impact Oregon’s public ports by way of Business Oregon
| Business Oregon Updates | |
| 2024 Legislative Session | The 2024 Legislative session adjourned Sine Die Thursday March 7th. This session was far less tumultuous than previous sessions, ending three days prior to the 35-day deadline. The primary focuses this session were on addressing the state’s drug crisis and housing shortage.
The 2025 session will be a long session, ports should be thinking now about priorities for the long session as there will be an opportunity to submit a greater number of bills and asks. We will also be working with OPPA to develop some collective port talking points and scheduling a fly-in to Salem to advocate for port needs throughout the state. Please feel free to reach out to Mark Landauer with OPPA if you have specific funding or policy requests in mind.
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| 2024-2025 State Dredge Program | The deadline to indicate your port’s interest in utilizing the state’s dredge for the 2024-2025 In-Water Work Period (IWWP) is April 1, 2024. Mike Dunning with the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay is the state’s operational lead for the state dredge program. He and I would be happy to meet with any port to discuss the state dredge’s operational capabilities, permitting and timeline requirements, estimated costs and answer any questions you may have.
We are working to consolidate and communicate specific challenges that Ports are facing with regard to dredging. This information will be provided to the Regional Solutions Team in an effort to engage with the various regulatory agencies involved in permitting. This will be discussed at the next OPPA meeting later this month. |
| Resources |
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| Connect Oregon | The 2024 ConnectOregon application process closed on February 29th, 2024. Applications will now be under review by ODOT, following modal committee reviews. It is anticipated that successful applications will be announced in the fall of 2024. |
| MARAD | In this month’s Maritime Minds webinar, we hosted Xochitl Castenada and Travis Black from MARAD to discuss various programs and funding opportunities. The full NOFO for the PIDP grant is now available, with a deadline of May 10th, 2024. A link to the NOFO and additional information can be found at: grants.gov/search-results-detail/351643
Monthly Coordination Meetings: OBDD staff have been holding monthly coordination meetings with MARAD staff for the purpose of information sharing, coordination and brainstorming. |
| Department of Transportation | USDOT has announced $57 million in funding through the Innovative Finance and Asset Concession Grants program. These grants will be focused on providing additional support through either Technical Assistance or providing Expert Services for transportation projects. The grant deadline for this opportunity is also May 10, 2024. Additional information can be found at: Innovative Finance and Asset Concession Grant Program | Build America (transportation.gov) |
| Federal Relations | |
| The annual PNWA Mission to Washington took place last week, allowing participating ports to make valuable connections with our Federal partners and advocate for funding and infrastructure needs.
We received great news from FBB Federal Relations this week that the House and Senate took up and passed the FY 24 Energy and Water Appropriates bill, which has been signed by the President into law, along with five other FY24 appropriations bills. This will provide necessary funding to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to support navigation projects.
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| Oregon Public Ports Federal Coordinating Committee (OPPFCC) | |
| The OPPFCC resumed meeting on a regular basis beginning in December of 2023. The Committee consists of John Burns, Paula Miranda, Sean Clark, Elvia Montoya, and Carmen Merlo, with participation of FBB Federal Relations, PNWA, and OPPA. These meetings are intended to provide a forum for information sharing between ports and the various entities we work with on a federal level to further our missions, with a focus on WRDA, the Appropriations process, and Regulatory challenges. The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 15th. If there are ports that are not currently involved in these meetings that would like to participate, please feel free to reach out to me. | |
| Oregon Public Ports Dredging Partnership (OPPDP) | |
| The next OPPDP meeting is scheduled for March 20th, 2024. We will be discussing potential upcoming dredging projects for the State dredge, as well as continuing discussions related to regulatory permitting challenges and opportunities. | |
| Oregon Public Ports Training Program (OPPTP) | |
| Please consider joining upcoming sessions of the OPPTP:
· Maritime Minds: Business Oregon Business Recruitment team, March 26th, 2024 at 10 am. In this session, we will have a dialogue with Business Oregon Business Recruitment staff to discuss port owned industrial properties throughout the state, and how ports can most effectively communicate with Business Oregon staff regarding their unique assets to better attract potential new business opportunities.
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| Ports Programming | |
| Port Planning and Marketing Fund (PPMF) | More information can be found in the Port Planning and Marketing Fund Guide on the PPMF webpage. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or your Regional Development Officer if you have questions.
Staff will be working with the legislature to recapitalize this fund to increase resources available to ports in the 2025 Legislative Session. |
| Oregon Port Revolving Fund (OPRF) | More information can be found in the Oregon Port Revolving Fund Guide on the OPRF webpage. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or your Regional Development Officer if you have questions.
Staff will be working with the legislature to recapitalize this fund to increase resources available to ports in the 2025 Legislative Session. |
| Save the Date | |
| March 2023 | March 15th – Oregon Public Ports Federal Coordinating Committee Meeting
March 20th – OPPDP March 21st – OPPA Business Meeting May 10th – PIDP grant cycle closes October 27th – 30th 2024 – AAPA Annual Convention, Boston Massachusetts |
