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### www.columbiabasinherald.co m fSre/m/i ^ ^/'a^/ U aru / ,9/afa//?i ) ^au/U ^ t^a-f'/f / RE : Suppor t o fARR ASurfac e Transportatio n (TIGER ) Gran t fo rth e Por t o fMose s Lak e fo rth e Norther n Columbi a Basi n Railroa d Projec t T o who m i t ma yconcern , I a m writin g i n support o ftli e Port o fl\/Iose s Lal<e' s TIGE R Gran t Fundin g Applicatio n t o USDO Tfo rth e Norther n Columbi a Basi n Railroa d Project . Th e Norther n Columbi a Basi n Railroa d Projec t i s a critica l economi cdevelopmen t an d freigh t mobilit yprojec t i n Washingto n Stat e tha t wil l enhanc e an d improv e rai l acces s t o vita l industrie s i n th e norther n Columbi a Basi n are a nea rMose s Lak e i n Washingto n State . Th e Port o fMose s Lak e recentl yreceive d $ 2 millio n i n fundin g fro m th e Washingto n Stat e Legislatur e fo rth e projec t (http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS157204+30 - Apr-2009+PRN20090430) . However , whil e th e fundin g tha t th e Washingto n Stat e Legislatur e provide d i s a goo d start . Federa l fundin g i s als o neede d fo rth e project . I n particular , th e Norther n Columbi a Basi n Railroa d Projec t wil l hav e th e followin g positiv e benefit s t o Washingto n Stat e an d Pacifi cNorthwes t region :

• I t wil l exten d an d enhanc e railroa d acces s t o vita l industrie s i n th e Norther n Columbi a Basi n area . o Anewrai l segmen t (Segmen t 2 ) woul d be constructe d to exten d rai l servic e to th e Industria l Par k o n th e eas t sid e ofth e Gran t Count yInternationa l Airport . o Anewrai l segmen t (Segmen t 1 ) woul d b e constructe d fro m th e Gran t Count yInternationa l Airpor t t o Wheele r(nea r1-90) . o A n existin g rai l segmen t (Segmen t 3) woul d b e refurbishe d an d improved . o I n th e longe rterm , a rai l segmen t (Segmen t 5 ) woul d b e constructe d fro m Mose s Lal< e t o Ephrata .

• I t wil l greatl yimprov e freigh t mobilit yan d economi cdevelopmen t opportunitie s i n th e Norther n Columbi a Basi n area .

• I t wil l eliminat e a t leas t 1 2 at-grad e rai l crossing s withi n th e Cit yo fMose s Lake ,S«!*= ^ < ^ „ , 

### www.columbiabasinlieraid.co m

rv^/?y/7 ^

^/'a/i l a/iof^

,Wf/nm-i ) &oa/U ^

t^m ^ an d ope n u p waterfron t propert yfo rtrail s an d othe rtouris m developments . o A n existin g rai l segmen

t (Segmen t 4 ) would b e converte d int o a trail . Th e propose d ne

wrai l segmen t aroun d th e Gran t Count yInternationa l Airpor

t woul d provid e criticall yneede d rai l servic e t o th e Industria l Are a an d woul d greatl yimprove freigh t mobilit

yi n th e Columbi a Basin . I n addition , there i s a majo rcompan yi n th e Industria l Are a that ha

s indicate d i t wil l hav

e t o mov e t o anothe rcountr

yifSegmen t 2 i s no t funde d an d constructed . Thi s compan yprovide s family-wag e job s t o 140 peopl e residin g i n th e uppe rColumbi a Basin . As a result , th e potentia l los s o fjob s coul d caus e a devastatin g economi cimpac t t o Mose s Lak

e an d surroundin g communitie s i fth e propose d Segmen t 2 rai l lin e i s not complete d an d Segmen t 3 i s no t upgraded . Th e Gran t Count

yInternationa l Airpor

t Industria l Are a (nort h o

fMose s Lake ) i s a ver

y desirabl e industria l developmen t locatio n i n Washingto n State , owin g t o plent yo f availabl e industria l land , easyacces s t o Highwa y1 7 an d Interstat e 90 , an d som e ofth e most competitive electrica l powe rrate s i n th e nation . Durin g th e past fe wyears , th e Gran t Count

yInternationa l Airpor

t Industria l Are a has compete d fo rsevera l majo r nationa l project s suc h as th e Boein g 78 7 project , a Genera l Dynamic s Amphibiou s Assaul t Vehicl e project , a larg e ethano l project , a grai n storag e an d shippin g projec t an d a Wester n Containe r(owne d b yCoca Cola) bottl e manufacturin g project , amon g others . Fo reac h o

fthes e projects , th e Gran t Count yInternationa l Airpor

t mad e th e fina l lis t o

f sites ; however , thes e project s ultimatel ywen t t o othe rlocation s as improve d rai l acces s into th e Airport' s Industria l Are a was liste d as a critica l issue . As a result , w

e ar e writin g t o urg e USDO

Tt o awar d a TIGE R Gran t t o th e Por t o fMoses Lak e fo rth e "Norther n Columbi a Basi n Railroa d Project" . Than k yo u fo ryou rconsideratio n o fthi s request . Regards ,

Harla n J Beagley Publishe rCE O Columbi a Basi n Heral d dail yNewspape r Columbiabasinherald.co m