Letter: Port gets help with reviving import-export

The Morgan City area is home to numerous manufacturing and fabrication facilities and shipyards that contribute not only to the local economy but also to the national economy and our national security. These are the businesses that provide employment for many of our residents.
Through its import/export activities in late 2014 and early 2015, the Port of Morgan City was also able to provide jobs in the community and over $1,000,000 in local and state tax collections as a result of 30 ship calls at the port. The Port handled imports and exports at locations across the Gulf of Mexico including Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean providing enormous benefit to our community.
In order for river dependent industry to grow to their full potential and to bring the import/export business back, we need to address upkeep and longevity of our facilities and water channels. These channels must be dredged so cargo vessels can come through and industry can deliver projects to their clients without incident. However, we can’t do this alone. We need federal partners to help us meet these needs through investments.
That’s why I’m grateful for Sen. Bill Cassidy’s leadership in drafting and passing his infrastructure bill. Cassidy’s federal infrastructure law provided $17 billion to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including over $1 billion for dredging needs.
For Morgan City, this includes $33.1 million for the dredging and surveys of the Lower and Upper Bars and Bayous Chene, Boeuf and Black. An additional $9.9 million will fund more dredging near Morgan City/Three Rivers and at Berwick Bay Harbor, repair damage to levee slides, and replace surfacing around the Berwick Levee.
Eyes may glaze over when reading these details, but these are the very basic needs that are vital to keeping a port of our size open for business.
We are already seeing Cassidy’s infrastructure bill supporting Louisiana communities big and small. It is investing in our region’s waterways and storm surge prevention efforts. $379 million will go toward the
Morganza-to-the-Gulf Hurricane Protection System, $125 million for southwest coastal Louisiana hurricane protection, and $52.9 million for the Atchafalaya Basin. We’ve been through enough hurricanes to know that neighbors are displaced and businesses are ruined by their impact. The more we can do to prevent this damage, the better.
The federal infrastructure bill is a win for Louisiana, and it wouldn’t have happened without Bill Cassidy.
We appreciate his leadership.
Raymond M. “Mac” Wade
Port of Morgan City executive director