The Muskogee City-County Port Authority has been awarded a Port Infrastructure Development Program Grant (PIDP) from the U.S. Department of Transportation for $23.9 million to address infrastructure needs at Port Muskogee in Muskogee County. In addition to the PIDP, the authority will receive $10 million, which was approved in a slate of bills approved by the Oklahoma State Legislature in October via a special session.
The PIDP is a discretionary grant program administered by the U.S. Maritime Administration. Funds for the PIDP are awarded on a competitive basis to projects that improve the safety, efficiency, or reliability of the movement of goods into, out of, around, or within a port. In FY2022, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) appropriated $450 million to the PIDP. An additional $234 million was made available to the program under FY2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act. Therefore, a total of $684,310,000 of funding was available to make awards under the FY 2022 PIDP grant program.
"Today is a monumental win for Muskogee. This $23.9 million grant will bring transformational change as Port Muskogee continues to serve northeast Oklahoma and global industries, ensuring Muskogee remains a global port city for generations to come," Port Director Kimbra Scott said. "We are grateful for the trust from U.S. DOT and all who supported our grant application at the federal, state and local levels. The Port is well-positioned as an economic engine for Muskogee, northeast Oklahoma and its citizens."
“The PIDP was a competitive grant,” said Port Chairman Earnie Gilder. “This award exemplifies that Muskogee is capable of winning projects on a national stage. We need to protect our Port, which is an asset to ensure Muskogee continues to thrive for the next 50 years and beyond.”
Scott went on to say, “We are also very thankful to the Oklahoma Legislature for recognizing the importance of Port Muskogee. This $10 million in funding is critical to securing the cost share requirements for the PIDP grant, which includes the Waterfront Infrastructure Projects detailed in our strategic plan.”
“This significant funding for Port Muskogee will have long-lasting, positive impact on northeast Oklahoma. It will greatly enhance the viability of an already attractive industrial complex and boost economic growth in Muskogee and the surrounding region for many years to come.” said Brent Kisling, Oklahoma Department of Commerce Executive Director.
The Port Authority worked with FEMA to acquire Hazard Mitigation dollars to develop a Waterfront Infrastructure Assessment and Resiliency Study to significantly improve safety and operational efficiency; improve resiliency to withstand significant flood events; and support continuous growth with increased multi-modal throughput in the terminal area. Improvements were prioritized for various infrastructure, including facilities, utilities, equipment, waterfront structures, railways, the electrical system, and stormwater system. The infrastructure needs are detailed in the Port’s Strategic Plan.
The Port Authority has extensive experience managing grants for more than 20 years. Funding sources for these grants include Oklahoma Department of Commerce (ODWC), Union Pacific Foundation, Oklahoma Secretary of Environment, Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department (OTRD), the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), United States Department of Transportation (USDOT), Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), Oklahoma Historical Society (Oklahoma Centennial Farm & Ranch Program), and Oklahoma Department of Agriculture.