MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) - Muscatine officials are reviewing the feasibility of building a container port facility on the Mississippi River.
The Muscatine Journal (https://bit.ly/2k1fCFx ) reports the study is funded by a state grant and a matching fund from Kent Corp. The Muscatine Community Development Office is expected to conclude the study in the next few weeks.
Dave Gobin of the MCDO says the idea for building a port near the Muscatine Power and Water Plant formed when he saw there was no container port north of St. Louis. Gobin says the port will divert truck and rail traffic regionally from the highway to the river, benefiting the region economically.
Gobin said area companies also expressed interest in the port. The project would be funded through grants and private funds.
“The intent is to do this project without any impact to the taxpayer,” Gobin said.
He noted that the port would not be owned by the city of Muscatine, but that the city could charge a tax for using the facility.
At a League of Women Voters event Tuesday, attendees expressed environmental concerns to Gobin. He said the Environmental Protection Agency has “significant interest” in helping create an eco-friendly facility.
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Information from: Muscatine Journal, https://www.muscatinejournal.com
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