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USK — The Port of Pend Oreille announced this week that it has been awarded $852,000 in federal funding for its blast booth upgrade project.
The blast booth upgrade will replace the Port’s current wet-blast system with advanced dry-blast technology. The current system creates challenges that limit production, including flash freezing, rusting and weather-related delays that slow down work and require frequent maintenance.
The new dry-blast system conserves water, works faster, requires less maintenance and operates in all weather conditions. Meanwhile, the media recovery system will reduce waste and lower operational costs over time.
“The new dry-blast booth will allow us to work year-round with greater efficiency and faster turnaround times,” Port District Commissioner Ryan Kiss said in a news release.
The improved efficiency will allow the Port to accept more locomotive conversion work. Currenlty, the Port converts two to three locomotives a year, which is less expensive for customers than purchasing new locomotives at $5 million each.
Besides helping to serve more customers and generating more revenue, this federal investment will boost the local economy without additional burden on taxpayers, according to the news release.
The funding was secured through the efforts of U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell and U.S. Congressman Michael Baumgartner with support from U.S. Senator Patty Murray.
“We’re grateful to Senator Cantwell, Congressman Baumgartner, and Senator Murray for their support of rural economic development in Washington State,” Kiss said.
The Port is moving forward with procurement and installation. Manufacturing and delivery of the dry-blast booth is expected to take six to nine months, with installation and testing requiring another two months.
