Legislators impressed during tour of port

MOSES LAKE — A group of state legislators visited the Port of Moses Lake last week as part of a tour organized by Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, to help legislators learn more about what the port does.

“I was constantly educating other legislators on the value of aerospace and aviation to Washington state,” Dent said. “I wanted to let people know what we do and who is out here.”

Joining Dent on the tour were several members of the Washington State House of Representatives Transportation Committee: Bruce Chandler, R-Granger; Rob Chase, R-Liberty Lake; Keith Goehner, R-Dryden; John Lovick, D-Mill Creek; Joe Schmick, R-Colfax; Javier Valdez, D-Seattle; Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy; Mary Dye, R-Pomeroy; and Bill Ramos, D-Issaquah. Senators Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, and Jeff Wilson, R-Longview, also attended.

Visitors heard from Lee Human, the president and CEO of Seattle-based AeroTEC, Justin Morigeau with Greenpoint Technologies, and Jess Winkey, who oversees Boeing’s 737 MAX “return to service program.”

“I didn’t know that beautiful facility was there, and I didn’t know the work that they did,” Lovick said of the Grant County International Airport (GCIA).

Lovick said he was most impressed by the sheer size of Boeing’s operations in Moses Lake — GCIA is currently home to more than 260 737 MAX aircraft, which are maintained and prepared for service by a team of several hundred — as well as Greenpoint’s business, which creates customized very high-end luxury aircraft interiors for corporate titans, as well as heads of state.

In fact, Lovick said he tended to think of the kinds of work being done in Moses Lake as work more likely to be done in Seattle. And because of the visit, he believes it’s important to continue to support aerospace in Grant County.

“There’s so much potential, and we’re going to see what we can do to enhance the great work they do over there,” Lovick said. “The whole thing was impressive.”

Dent said aerospace and aviation are a $108 billion business for Washington state, and there’s no reason the entire state should not be a global leader in designing and building aircraft and spacecraft.

“We have the leadership, knowledge and experience to do this,” he said.

Dent said the tour was also important because it gave legislators a chance to see the results of things they had voted for, such as a special exemption for aircraft owned by out-of-state people or entities but kept in Washington longer than a year for modifications or customization — a tax break essential to Greenpoint’s business, as the customization of a 777 or 787 aircraft can take several years.

“It kept that business alive here,” Dent said. “And there’s nothing like seeing it firsthand.”

“Last week’s tour provided the opportunity to showcase the incredible work of the port’s tenants, to reinforce the port’s role supporting Washington’s military and civilian aerospace sectors, and the immediate wildfire response resources deployed from the port,” said Don Kersey, executive director of the Port of Moses Lake. “It also gives us a chance to discuss future opportunities and partnerships for economic development.”