2014 grant app port study and budget

“RED” GRANT APPLICATION ON BAHALF OF: CITY OF AURORA REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

SUBMITTED TO: CITY OF LAWRENCEBURG, INDIANA REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT

Date: May 16, 2014 Applicant: Southeast Indiana Regional Port Authority Contact Person: Jeff Stratman, Port Authority Attorney Phone: (812) 584-0386 Email: jeff.stratman@outlook.com Address: P.O. Box 178, Aurora, IN 47001

Brief Description of the Project: The Southeast Indiana Regional Port Authority (SIRPA) is a local Port Authority created in 2013 to expand the Aurora Port Authority to now include the cities of Lawrenceburg and Aurora. There is currently a proposal to expand and include all of Dearborn County in the SIRPA. This grant application is submitted to replace a previous grant application submitted by the Lawrenceburg Redevelopment Commission on behalf of Dearborn Tri-State Terminals. The previous grant application identified a specific Ohio River port project related to container-onbarge shipping. This grant application is seeking budgetary assistance for SIRPA to do additional planning and feasibility investigation that is needed before investment is made into a specific port project.

Total Project Costs and Requested Grant Funds: TOTAL PROJECT COSTS AND GRANT FUNDS REQUESTED:

$665,000

Please see Exhibit A for a detailed description of the project budget.

PLEASE NOTE: This amount is significantly less than the $3,500,000 previously requested by the Lawrenceburg Redevelopment Commission on behalf of Dearborn Tri-State Terminals.

Jobs Created or Retained: The number of jobs created or retained by this project is yet unknown. However, a detailed description of the project and grant request follows.

Detailed Description of the Project and Justification for the Grant Request: The Southeast Indiana Regional Port Authority (SIRPA) was recently expanded and established to assist the Cities of Aurora and Lawrenceburg with initiatives and efforts to provide port development opportunities along the Ohio River, intermodal transportation opportunities connecting river, rail and road, economic development projects, economic redevelopment projects, all of which will lead to business expansion, business retention, and overall community revitalization within Aurora, Lawrenceburg, Dearborn County and Southeast Indiana.

SIRPA is a statutorily created local port authority with a goal and mission to create local economic development and job creation through port and intermodal transportation opportunities. The U.S. Maritime Administration supports and predicts future growth of inland river transportation of goods, especially upon completion of the Panama Canal expansion. The economic and environmental benefits of barge transportation are well established and studied.

Lawrenceburg and Aurora’s strategic location along the Ohio River, their interconnection with a major railway (CSX rail line) and proximity to major metropolitan markets connected by river,

rail or interstate highway, all create the possibility of future rapid growth opportunities connecting river port, rail and highway projects.

Although there is support and belief that inland river transportation opportunities will increase, additional research and investigation is needed to specifically identify which opportunities and projects will be most feasible and beneficial to our region. This grant application will create a budget to allow SIRPA to oversee and accomplish these investigatory efforts to identify feasible projects to pursue.

In addition to private groups assisting with investigation and study, SIRPA is also seeking assistance from the U.S. Maritime Administration. The goal is to collect data and analysis in the most reasonable and cost-effective manner, but to also collect usable data specific to our local and regional markets and economies. The detailed attached project budget provides additional insight into the specific efforts this grant award will help fund.

SIRPA meets regularly on a monthly basis and consists of board members that include Mayor Dennis Carr, Mayor Donnie Hastings, Jr., Dearborn County Commissioner Shane McHenry, and other local community and business leaders appointed by the two mayors.

Dearborn County and the City of Greendale were recently invited to formally join the efforts of SIRPA.

Need for RED Grant Funds: The grant funds requested will be used in a variety of ways to investigate and study specific port development or intermodal transportation opportunities that are most feasible in our location and region, and to identify specific projects to pursue that will be successful.

SIRPA has no other revenue source at this time. Although SIRPA intends to work with the U.S. Maritime Administration for assistance, they will not provide the specific local analysis that is needed. Without these grant funds, it will be difficult for SIRPA to identify the most successful projects to pursue. This might result in lost opportunities to other competitive entities within the locale or region.

Final Summary: SIRPA will not likely be able to investigate and pursue port development or intermodal transportation opportunities without an infusion of public funds to investigate and incentivize projects. Private sector investment is not enough to close the gap and create new investment.

This grant request is to study, investigate and identify specific projects to pursue. There may be future grant requests to assist with funding of projects that are identified by this investigation.

Respectfully Submitted,

Jeffrey E. Stratman SIRPA Attorney On Behalf of: Southeast Indiana Regional Port Authority

Southeast Indiana Regional Port Authority Board Members: Mayor Donnie Hastings, Jr. (Chairman) Mayor Dennis Carr Commissioner Shane McHenry Tom Schneider Tom Palmer E.G. McLaughlin Adam Rosenberger Benjamin Turner Larry Giffin