Projects in Lewis County will receive a combined $600,000 from the Washington state Department of Commerce in an effort to accelerate industrial site development.
In an announcement Wednesday, the commerce department said the funding is part of $2 million in grants to eight projects meant to expand Washington’s industrial sites to incentivize private investment. According to the commerce department, the grants will help publicly owned sites become more attractive for business and investment.
“We’re delighted to award these grants to support some exciting projects envisioned in rural communities around the state,” Commerce Director Mike Fong said in a statement. “These sites have the potential to attract manufacturers with good jobs that can be a catalyst for additional economic activity.”
The City of Chehalis will receive a $350,000 grant for the Chehalis-Centralia Airport to support environmental and engineering studies, a cultural resources study, and pre-design activities. According to the commerce department, the site’s project is located on the northern portion of the airport.
“This grant will kickstart our master plan and prepare the Chehalis-Centralia Airport for the design and construction of the Chehalis Hub for Aviation Innovation and Sustainable Energy (CHAISE),” said Airport Director Brandon Rakes. “The grant funds help us complete environmental studies and pre-design tasks, enabling a biological assessment that will likely put us 12 months ahead of schedule.”
According to Rakes, CHAISE will support emerging aviation technology companies to demonstrate their technology and provide connectivity to Lewis County. The project will also reduce the airport’s carbon footprint and generate clean energy, according to Rakes.
The Port of Chehalis has received a $250,000 grant from the commerce department for Bishop Road Industrial Sites 1 and 2 to begin preparation for a shovel-ready industrial and manufacturing use site. The money will fund demolition, waste removal, brush removal, drainage maintenance and a cultural resources study.
