Officials with the Port of Coos Bay and regional seafood processors are exploring the development of a new facility in Charleston.
The Port’s applying for a $50,000 grant through Business Oregon, which the West Coast Seafood Processors Association (WCSPA) will match with $25,000. The two entities want to study the feasibility of a wastewater recovery and treatment center.
Lori Steele, executive director of the WCSPA, told KLCC if successful, such a facility would help save processors operational costs and become an economic driver for the Port of Coos Bay area.
“It’s kinda developing a groundbreaking - if you will – approach to servicing the seafood facilities in Coos Bay and hopefully also the Port by growing the industry down there.”
Seafood processors are trying to save costs while abiding by environmental regulations, and also rebounding from the effects of the pandemic economy.
Steele said there’s already strong interest and support in this public-private venture.
“The Port (of Coos Bay) has offered to step in and provide us a piece of property where we could build a facility that would be able to service multiple companies. Down there right now we have two major processors and then a smaller processor, and we also have interest from another company in adding a seafood processor to the port.”
If created, the Port of Coos Bay would likely see more economic activity through increased production.
Copyright @2022, KLCC.
