GREEN BAY (NBC26) — A Port symposium on Wednesday morning detailed the impact the Port of Green Bay has on the city and new projects to promote expansion.
- Officials say the Port has generated more than $200 million in economic growth and created more than 1,600 jobs.
- Major project includes land expansion at Pulliam Power Plant and possible relocation of coal piles near downtown.
- Green Bay and Brown County are working together to generate the total $53 million needed for the project.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
It's a major impact on life in Green Bay.
"Every year it's generating $200 million of economic growth," Troy Streckenbach, Brown County executive, said.
Streckenbach says the Port effects everything from agriculture to manufacturing.
"If they were not able to source those products here through one of the most efficient methods, through water transport, all of those costs go up," Streckenbach said.
In a port symposium Wednesday morning, local officials highlighted the Port's growth.
"Throughout our history as a city it has been a focus on our river as industry," Green Bay mayor, Eric Genrich, said.
According to the Harbor commission, the Port supports 1,620 jobs and shipping increased by 3% from 2022 to about 1.4 million metric tons last year.
"Together, with these programs we're building a 21st century infrastructure Wisconsin needs to support a 21st century workforce and economy,"
Gov. Tony Evers spoke at the symposium about the need to expand the Port's Pulliam Power Plant, which could move coals piles away from downtown Green Bay.
"But our first and foremost project really is to get that site to be ready to handle all commodities of the future," Streckenbach said.
With the rising cost of materials, the city says it still needs $22 million to finish land expansion at the plant.
Officials say that could be covered by June.
Impact and growth, they say, will make Brown County more competitive.
"Lots of pieces, but this is one of the important ones," Streckenbach said.
An official working with the us department of transportation says the goal is to bring more shipping coming from Europe to the port of Green Bay and those alike.
They say international shipping efforts to the Great Lakes are expected to grow this season.
