Port of Pasco secures $500k to boost industrial growth

The Port of Pasco has secured $500,000 in funding from the Washington State Legislature to support two projects aimed at advancing industrial development and sustainable manufacturing across Pasco and Franklin County.

The funding will support a market analysis for a proposed Industrial Symbiosis Park and a comprehensive engineering master plan for expansion at the Reimann Industrial Center, strengthening the region’s manufacturing and logistics base.

The port recently acquired an additional 320 acres to expand the Reimann Industrial Center, with $250,000 allocated to develop a master plan for infrastructure, utilities, and site readiness. The port will contribute a $62,500 match.

As Washington’s first BNSF-certified rail site, Reimann offers direct access to national freight networks and has seen sustained demand following recent developments, including Darigold and Cold Summit projects.

The master plan will prepare the remaining land for future food processing, manufacturing, and logistics investment.

A further $250,000, supported through Washington’s Climate Commitment Act, will fund a market analysis for an Industrial Symbiosis Park.

The port will also match this funding with $62,500. The concept focuses on co-located manufacturers sharing energy, materials, and byproducts to reduce costs, emissions, and waste.

The study will assess potential industrial tenants, evaluate waste-to-energy technologies, and identify regional bio-based feedstocks across southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon.

Adam Lincoln, Executive Director of the Port of Pasco, said: “These investments help us plan responsibly for the future of industrial development in Pasco and Franklin County. By preparing additional land and exploring sustainable manufacturing models, we are creating opportunities for long-term economic growth.”

The projects form part of a broader strategy to position the region as a hub for efficient, climate-aligned industrial development, supported by strong logistics connectivity and rail access.

The developments followed a regional push to strengthen inland logistics, with the Northwest Seaport Alliance having joined the Port of Benton, Port of Pasco and Port of Walla Walla in signing an interlocal agreement to develop an Inland Logistics Hub in the Tri-Cities region of southeastern Washington.