Money sought for rail in D.C.

MOSES LAKE — Representatives from the Columbia Basin Railroad Project, the Port of Moses Lake and the Grant County Economic Development Council are in Washington, D.C. seeking funding for a railroad project.

The project involves building a new rail line between Wheeler and Parker Horn, upgrading the track between Parker Horn and the Grant County International Airport and lengthening the railroad track to an industrial area near the airport.

Port of Moses Lake Commissioner David Plate said they met with about 30 officials, including the surface transportation board. The reaction so far has been positive.

“They gave us good encouragement,” he said. “It’s certainly not an overnight decision … They’re trying to determine which bucket our project best fits in terms of a funding standpoint.”

Part of the reason for the trip was to put a face on the project, Plate said. Many of the officials were educated about the project prior to their trip.

“We wanted to make sure they had all of the information (about the project,)” he said. “When (the board) went through their checklists, they’ve been very impressed and pleased with the preparatory work that’s been done.”

Plate expects to know whether the federal government will fund the project in another month or two, after the board’s directors meet to discuss the project, he said.

“Obviously this is an economic development project on a grand scale,” he said. “Obviously, it’s a very small price to pay for a very big opportunity.”

 These meetings come two weeks after the group met with about 25 state legislators in Olympia, Plate said. Most of those meetings were with committee chairs.