(Green Bay, Wis.) – With the announcement of a $10.1 million from the USDOT, Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program grant program, the Port of Green Bay has now secured a majority of the funding to transform the former Pulliam Power Plant property into a state-of-the-art port facility.
“This is great news for the Port and our regional economy,” said Port Director Dean Haen. “This new port facility at the mouth of the Fox River will generate jobs and economic activity that will be transformational for Green Bay and Northeast Wisconsin.”
Brown County previously secured a $15 million Neighborhood Investment Fund grant and a $1.1 million Wisconsin Department of Transportation Harbor Assistance Program grant for the project. The county also allocated $1.3 million in 2022 ARPA funds and $2.6 million in 2023 ARPA funds towards the project.
“We are very grateful for all of the support in favor of this federal grant,” Haen added. “This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for port operations.”
Following acquisition of the property, an engineering firm began working to design the 40-acre port facility, including new dock walls, dredging, filling the old slip, a rail spur and stormwater management features and more to allow for movement of bulk cargo.
“For Northeast Wisconsin to be economically viable into the future we need to be continuously leveraging strategic assets to assure our competitiveness to bring in bulk commodities that support many industries and employ thousands of people,” said Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach. “Once again, Brown County competitively secured $10 million by being united in our overall support of our Port of Green Bay.”
Among the grant supporters were U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, U.S. Rep. Michael Gallagher, Gov. Tony Evers, WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson, State Senators Robert Cowles and Andre Jacque, State Representatives Elijah Behnke, Joel Kitchens, Kristina Shelton, David Steffen and Jim Steineke, as well as the New North, Greater Green Bay Chamber, other regional and national port and economic development agencies as well as a number of existing port terminal operators.
Haen notes that the design phase of the project is expected to be completed by the end of the year with construction beginning in 2023 and project completion in 2025. GLC Minerals has already committed to buying 9.7 acres of the parcel to expand its operations.
