(WFRV) – Gov. Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) announced $5.3 million worth of grants for seven harbor maintenance projects, four of which are in northeast Wisconsin.

The seven harbor maintenance and improvement projects aim to promote waterborne freight and economic development, officials say.

Of the total $5.3 million, $2.4 million will impact Green Bay directly, and an additional $1 million will help dredge the bed of the Manitowoc River to broaden maritime transportation options.

“From the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River, Wisconsin’s unique geography provides our state opportunities to grow our economy and help our businesses reach markets worldwide,” said Gov. Evers. “These grants will help maintain our harbors and ensure our ports are secure and reliable, all while strengthening our supply chains and our commitment to our port cities.”

Projects supported by the Harbor Assistance Program grants include:

• Holcim US Green Bay Terminal, Green Bay – $1,200,000 to dredge the bed of the Fox River and construct a new docking facility to receive cement used in construction across the region.
• Port of Green Bay – $1,000,000 to stabilize the existing shoreline with bulkhead fill and dock wall construction on new Port property located at the mouth of the Fox River.
• U.S. Venture Inc., Green Bay – $200,000 to dredge the bed of the Fox River to allow the continued import of petroleum products to northeast Wisconsin.
• Briess Industries Inc., Manitowoc – $1,000,000 to dredge the bed of the Manitowoc River along frontage used by Briess to broaden maritime transportation options for agricultural commodities.
• FJ Robers, La Crosse – $1,170,000 to repair and construct a new dock wall to allow the continued operation of a bulk commodity transload facility. This section of wall is dedicated to the transfer of corn and soybeans and is critical to sustaining Wisconsin as an important origin for the export market.
• Hanke Terminals, La Crosse – $200,000 to repair a failing dock wall used to export ag-commodities and import miscellaneous bulk goods.
• Perch Point LLC., Port Milwaukee – $540,000 to construct a dock wall to support the movement and delivery of shoreline protection materials along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

“Strong multimodal transportation infrastructure positions Wisconsin’s businesses to succeed in a global economy,” WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said. “We are committed to improving our ability to move freight, and our harbors are a critical part of this strategy.”

More information about Wisconsin’s Harbor Assistance program and past grant awards can be found here.