Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) currently chair of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has requested the Administration for funding to create a ship-to-rail port at Coos Bay, Oregon.  He stated, “A container port would immediately increase capacity on the West Coast by ten percent serving imports into the U.S. and exports of agriculture and forest products to international markets.”

The port of Coos Bay is underutilized although served by railroad links and it has a deep-water channel. The container terminal could be established on the site of a proposed LNG export facility that was not built.

The Congressional initiative is bipartisan with support from delegations representing Oregon, California, Idaho and Washington State.  A request will be made for support from the Department of Transportation under a program to improve infrastructure and rural service transportation projects.