Investment will be used to replace one of the Port’s dock walls

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) and Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded more than $4.1M through its Port Infrastructure Development Program to the Saint Paul Port.

“The Saint Paul Port enables Minnesota’s industries to compete in the global market and provides a cost-effective and environmentally-sustainable solution to transporting commodities in the Upper Midwest,” said Klobuchar. “This investment is key to ensuring safe access to port facilities, maintaining current barge volumes, and supporting the growth of the region.”

“With nearly 6 million tons of cargo passing through every year, the Saint Paul Harbor is a vital cog in our local economy,” said Smith. “These repairs and modernizations will increase efficiency while enhancing the health and safety of the men and women working in St. Paul Harbor.”

“The Saint Paul Port is the head of navigation for the Mississippi River – the foundation of a dynamic transportation network that efficiently and sustainably delivers 60% of all grain exports from our nation. This investment ensures that operations in Saint Paul will continue, improving the safety of workers and boosting our region’s economy,” said McCollum.

Last summer, Klobuchar and Smith sent letters to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in support of the Saint Paul Port Authority’s application for the funding, which will be used to replace the dock wall at the Port’s Barge Terminal 2 (BT2). This dock wall, originally constructed in 1964, is critical to the port’s capacity to load commodities heading south.

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