District looking to grants to help extend western dock

The Morgan City Harbor and Terminal District is looking at a combination of grants and its own money to purchase two adjacent pieces of property to extend its western dock.
The total project is pegged at $25 million for purchasing and development work, port Special Projects Manager Mike Knobloch said.
Because the port only can receive up to $15 million in Port Priority Program funding, if it sought everything through that program, the port would have to come up with $10 million, Knobloch said.
Instead, the port anticipates using Port Priority funding to help purchase one tract of land that will cost about $18 million. Of that amount, about $15 million will be used with Port Priority funding, while the port would put up the remaining $3 million.
The port submitted a funding request June 1 to the state’s Port Priority Program. It anticipates hearing sometime in mid- or late August whether the project is approved.
The remaining piece of property will cost about $7 million. The port is turning to the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program to help it purchase that property, Knobloch said.
If it doesn’t get the second phase funded this year, the port can apply next year for the grant and put Port Priority funding towards the local match for the project.
The port board unanimously approved Monday applying for funding through the RAISE grant. That application is due July 12.
The dock extension would be a long-term project, with construction not expected to begin for two to three years, Knobloch said. Because the property is flood prone, the port plans to build it up from about 5 feet to 10 feet using beneficial dredged material.
In other news, Knobloch told commissioners the harbor and terminal district’s request for nearly $424,000 in Port Security Program funding was submitted in May, and the district should learn in late July or August if it’s requests will be granted. The port is requesting funding for cyber security, new security cameras and for maintenance on their current cameras.
Absent from Monday’s meeting were commissioners Ben Adams, Adam Mayon and Steven Cornes.