Port gets stimulus funds for new equipment

bizjournals.com ^ | February 17, 2010 | by Melanie Turner

[Jet Jaguar]

The ports of West Sacramento, Stockton and Oakland have jointly been awarded $30 million in federal stimulus funds to launch a container barge service between the three ports that will help ease congestion on highways in Northern California.

The Port of West Sacramento announced the award Wednesday.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is awarding the funding as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s $1.5 billion Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program.

The “inland marine highway” service would be used to transport consumer goods and agricultural products in containers on barges.

While the deep-water channel leading to the Port of West Sacramento is too shallow to handle large container ships, much-smaller barges can enter the port. But the port does not have the necessary equipment — including a massive crane — to unload containers.

A portion of the $30 million will pay for a crane and other facilities needed in West Sacramento for handling container cargo.

Since the port opened in 1963, it has exported and imported bulk cargo only.

Container ships unload in Oakland. The containers are then trucked to the Central Valley, unpacked and returned empty to Oakland. It’s a lot of truck trips that add to the region’s air pollution as well as wear and tear on highways.

The Northern California ports last year submitted a joint grant application for $58 million in stimulus funding to help pay for a 300-ton crane and other improvements needed to remove containers from barges. It was unclear late Wednesday whether the $30 million grant would cover all the necessary improvements.

“Investing in infrastructure is one of the best ways to create and sustain good paying jobs,” Congressman Mike Thompson, who represents the port, said in a news release. “Every dollar we invest in infrastructure gives our economy a 59 percent return.”

[Jet Jaguar]

Priming his pump for better job numbers.

[familyop]

The way to small government in the near future is to stop producing food (avoid personal expenditures) while feeding the big, fat government, until no more food remains. Become more self-sufficient every month. Start a hobby of producing something useful.