JUst read the lionked newspaper article. Dicks doesn't sound like he's all that opposed to the idea of developing the airport property ("Moon Island", never heard that one before). Just that there has to be a credible replacement plan.
Is there a shortage of waterfront industrial property at Grays Harbor? Seems like by the time you add in the cost of building another airport, it'd be cheaper for either the Port or a private developer to just buy a different piece of land for the container facility (or whatever).
Of course, common sense and logic never seems to play much of a role in these gavernment agency boondoggles.

Eric

I personally don't think Dick's will lay down and Murray will sooner let sleeping dogs lie, especially if someone manages to get her to understand the Environmental impact that this particular project will involve. The "Mommy in tennis shoes" will wilt at the mere mention of killing any critter. She won't understand the bulk of my arguement about the money though.
The dog part will be when they discover that the "replacement" facility will require an extensive Enviromental Impact Statement. Most acceptable terrain in the area is already developed. The areas that are not are swamp or adjacent to, sorry, wetlands. There are a number of concerns being migratory bird habitat, Salmon, etc.
Then you get into the required dredging. The Army Corp of Eng. (If I'm not mistaken) is the lead in keeping Grays Harbor's channel open for the log ships (the few that do still go in there).
A container ship requires a deep draft facility (Let alone a RORO ship) in order to compete with other Port Facilities. Just to turn the one ship around will require an extensive expansion of the current dredging operation. The existing channel is relatively narrow as it meanders past the airport. Fly over it at low tide.
There are already several ports in the near vicinity (Relatively speaking) Longview, Tacoma, Port Angles (Not really a contender due to lack of supporting infrastructure) Seattle & Olympia.
These existing ports all have something in common that HQM and Aberdeen do not; Access to immediate transportation for the goods to be sent to market. i.e. I-5 or rail line. One Wally-Mart does not sustain a shipping line or port facility. I would love to see what these yahoo's plan on marketing from this new facility and the anticipated tonnage they base they're projected return on spread over how much time. Maybe these guys are working on the "Build it and they will come" model.
Come on guys, this is Public money we're talking about being spent. Show me the business plan and how there will be a return on my State taxes. If it doesn't pencil, you don't get the money or your new toy. We have enough subsidized facilities and programs that it's making us a laughing stock. THESE PEOPLE MUST BE ACCOUNTABLE!

I just had debate with a co-worker this morning as how our Country owed us so many things. The conversation ended when he allowed as how he had never read the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence.


Sorry, way too much coffee this morning...........

Keep drinking that coffee. it looks like it works.

Being right next to a bird sanctuary the airport is a rather good neighbor, I am not sure the container port will be. You are right about the narrow channel and a big shop turn around. So far no application for dredging such an expanded channel has been requested, and I'll bet no one has looked into the expense either. The Port turned Terminal one into a grain shipping terminal, Terminal 3 is turning into a Bio-Diesel plant, and terminal 2 has not enough space to accommodate the bulk of the containers. I'm also sure the local population would not be pleased with the increased truck and rail traffic here. Every time a train goes out of town it ties up the only
road in or out of town because people going shopping at the mall can't get in, the train runs across in front of the mall entrance and as long as they are there it balls everything up all across the plaza.

I do think you are right about the environmental aspect, The tree hugger in tennis shoes will not be willing to buy into making any changes in greenery, be it trees or allege sludge. Several years ago they looked into moving the airport, the only reasonable place they could find was east of Aberdeen about 3 miles and it required pushing the tops off two hills to fill the valley in between, then cut access in through the timber. Very expensive, and it is in the area most of the guys refer to as the Central Park Plug. Fog hangs in the re far more than the current location.