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Economic and dam related articles

Port of Pasco Grain Terminal
Demolition Complete

by Staff
Port of Pasco Beacon, March 2004

A familiar site along the Columbia River has been torn down. Demolition of the Continental Grain Terminal at the Port of Pasco began in late January and was completed in February.

"The teminal has seved its useful life," said R. Sam Good, the Port's Director of Properties and Development. "We have a real opportunity with the rivershore enhancement on the Pasco side of the Columbia River to make this into a more useful piece of property. It offers wonderful access to the river and we see that as a positive."

The grain terminal played an important role in the history of the Port of Pasco. The port was formed in 1940 to build the terminal as a way to provide barge transportation to area grain growers. "A terminal was needed to help get the area's products to Portland. The new Port facilities provided that," said Good.

Damon Filan, now with Tri-Cities Grain, worked at the grain elevator from 1982 until 1998. He estimates that an average of 10 million bushels of grain went through the elevator each year during those years. Over 200 million bushels of grain, at a value in excess of $600 million, have passed through the elevator over the lifetime of the structure.

In recent years, this terminal has been used very little and the growers are being served by other terminals along the river. "By contract CDL Pacific Grain, which has operated the terminal, was required to tear it down as a part of terminating its lease," Good said.

Plans for use of the property are still under development. "Once the terminal demolition is comlete, we will be better able to see what contamination of the soil has taken place. We don't know yet what will need to be addressed or how long it will take," said Good. "We see this as an opportunity for the Port to do some planning to create a better use of this land. We need to explore those options."

The site is also near the Sacagawea Heritage Trail being built by the Port of Pasco and the city.

"We are sure going to notice when it is gone. It's been impossible to miss it on the river shoreline," said Good.


Staff
Port of Pasco Grain Terminal Demolition Complete
Port of Pasco Beacon, March 2004

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