Staff report

The U.S. Commerce Department announced Thursday two grants valued at $10 million are headed to Jefferson County to enhance port infrastructure and resiliency in Port Arthur and Beaumont, post-Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey.

Secretary Wilbur Ross said the Economic Development Administration grants will create and retain more than 15,000 jobs and spur some $45 million in total private investment.

The EDA investments are:

• The Port of Port Arthur Navigation District will receive $4.8 million to make rail, storm drainage and roadway improvements to increase capacity and promote economic resiliency in the Southeast Texas Region. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create or retain 200 jobs and generate $36 million in private investment.

• The Port of Beaumont Navigation District in Beaumont will receive $5 million to reconstruct three docks in support of the Main Street Terminal 1 Dock Project. The improved infrastructure will support additional cargo, resulting in increased economic activity and
business growth for the region. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create or retain 15,760 jobs, while generating $9.8 million in private investment.

“These grants will help local leaders strengthen the infrastructure of the Ports of Beaumont and Port Arthur to accelerate recovery efforts and boost the state’s economy,” Ross said.

Port of Port Arthur Director and CEO Larry Kelley said the grant — it may be the largest the port has ever received — would be “of tremendous benefit to the Port of Port Arthur for job creation.”

The funds will help the port add and enhance capacity to move goods by truck and rail, to handle “multiple types of cargo,” Kelley said.

“It’s an excellent project that supports longshore labor, local employment and site stabilization,” Kelley said, as well as supports conventional cargo.

“The Port of Beaumont and the Port of Port Arthur are two critical ports on our Texas Gulf Coast,” said Randy Weber, R-Texas. “As the busiest military cargo port and a major break-bulk port, respectively, these two ports matter a great deal to our national economy and security. Harvey did damage to much of our region, and with these grants, we are getting our ports back in their best working condition.”

These projects were made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission. EDA funds the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission to bring the public and private sectors together to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment and create jobs.