A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators have introduced legislation to ensure the Great Lakes ports will received their fair share of exiting federal funding for infrastructure upgrades and repairs.
U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) led the group in introducing the Securing Smart Investments in Our Ports Act that will address an imbalance in the way ports are funded. The law makers said between 2019 and 2024, Great Lakes ports received as little as two percent of the available Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) awards, while ports along the East and West Coasts received almost 70 percent of the funding. The legislation would direct the Maritime Administration to consider fair regional distribution of PIDP funds when awarding grants.
“Indiana’s ports are critical to our state’s economy and connect Hoosier businesses and farmers to the world. This bill will better ensure ports in the Great Lakes region have access to existing programs meant to improve their infrastructure, safety, and efficiency,” Young said.
The legislation was co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Roger Wicker (R-MS).
The PIDP program provides funding to improve the safety, efficiency or reliability of American ports, including reconstruction of docks, improved access to key transportation routes, and expanded storage capacity, among other efforts. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis and are administered by the Maritime Administration.