Port to issue $10 million in bonds for wastewater treatment expansion

MOSES LAKE — Commissioners overseeing the Port of Moses Lake voted unanimously to issue up to $10 million in bonds to expand the port’s industrial wastewater treatment plant.

“Moses Lake Industries increased its capacity, so we need a new well and a 70 million gallon lagoon (for wastewater)” said Milton Miller, facilities director for the port. “That will double our industrial wastewater treatment capacity.”

Miller said the Port expects to use around $9 million of the $10 million that commissioners authorized on Monday, with the rest held for contingencies “if needed.”

The 21-year bonds will pay a 2.78 percent fixed interest rate and will be purchased in their entirety by Banner Bank, according to the Port.

“I would like to thank Banner Bank for doing all the work on this,” said Commission President Darrin Jackson.

The Port of Moses Lake currently can treat about 900,000 gallons per day of wastewater from industrial users like MLI, Chemicon and AstaReal, which it treats and then uses to irrigate about 120 acres of farmland northwest of the airfield.

Airport Director Rich Mueller also told commissioners that the Moses Lake High School cross country team is looking to hold a fundraising run up and down the main runway when work to remove the hump is completed next June.

Mueller said he had been approached by an employee of Greenpoint Technology — which customizes very high-end corporate and head-of-state jetliners from standard Boeing 777 and 787 passenger jets — to allow the team to run the length of the 13,500-foot main runway to raise money for district sports programs.

The main runway is currently closed as crews work to replace lights. Mueller said the runway is expected to reopen for a short time on December 19, only to close again in mid to late January as crews begin to tear up asphalt and remove the hump that has been a part of the main runway since it was first built.

The Federal Aviation Administration has required the removal of the hump, which prevents aircraft at one of the runways from seeing each other. The FAA is paying for 90 percent of the estimated $20 million cost of removal, which is expected to be completed by early June, 2020.

“It has to be done by June 5,” Mueller said.

Finally, the U.S. Air Force is back at the Grant County International Airport for the next two weeks, running a major disaster preparedness and response exercise.

According to Tech. Sgt. Travis Edwards, several Air Force units — including from the Air Mobility Command — are practicing using the GCIA to provide humanitarian aid and assistance across the Pacific Northwest in the event of a major earthquake on the Cascadia Fault.

The exercises, which started several days ago, are expected to last as long as two weeks, Edwards said.

“It’s not the first time we’ve exercised here,” he added.

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached at cfeatherstone@columbiabasinherald.com.