November 2, 2009
Cicilline pushes $39M ProvPort expansion

WASHINGTON – Projects like the proposed ProvPort expansion are crucial to bringing jobs to cities hurt by the recession, Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline told National Economic Council Director Lawrence Summers last week.

The city is hoping for a $39 million grant from the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Discretionary Grant (TIGER) program. The money would go toward purchasing two cranes at the Port of Providence that would replace aging cranes and allow the port to expand into container traffic. The port also wants to install solar panels and two wind turbines. A report by Bryant University commissioned by the port says the project could create hundreds of direct and indirect jobs and generate millions of dollars in new income.

But Cicilline told Providence Business News competition for funding will be fierce. He said there are about $57 billion in requests for approximately $1 billion in available funding. Cicilline said he and other mayors who met with Summers here urged additional funding for that and other programs. The latter include the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant and the Community Development Block Grant programs.

Cicilline also wanted to see the COPS program, which funds community policy initiatives, to continue at funding levels established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and the federal government to provide money for summer youth jobs.

Regarding the TIGER-grant request, the mayor said the city will know by February at the latest if the ProvPort project will be funded.