Marcia Kelbon: Investing in Our Ports & Economy
Increasing Wages to Stay Ahead of High Costs.
By Marcia Kelbon October 24, 2026
Marcia Kelbon supports strong, family-wage jobs for the Olympic Peninsula. Working class jobs are the legacy of our area. Investments in our ports create good jobs.
Everything costs more these days. We need to fight inflation by increasing wages.
The economy of the Olympic Peninsula was historically powered by timber and fisheries. Both industries have reduced significantly over the past several decades. We now have an economy powered in good part by tourism. There are also injections of federal and state grants which can benefit our communities.
I wholeheartedly agree the Olympic Peninsula is a great place to retire, but we also need family wage jobs that provide a good standard of living.
Fortunately, it is easy to point to state and federal grant investments that will support our Peninsula’s legacy of a working class economy. Our Olympic Peninsula is replete with ports connecting us to the world. Our ports are the hubs for jobs that can support a family.
Soy Bean Export Terminal
In Grays Harbor, a grand opening ceremony was held this summer celebrating the expanded and redeveloped Terminal 4, at which many dignitaries including US Senator Maria Cantwell spoke. It was interesting to tour this terminal as well as a brand-new freighter docked at the terminal.
Both were awe-inspiring in scale. The terminal accommodates the transport of bulk agricultural commodities such as milled soybeans. Redevelopment and expansion of the terminal was funded by both public and private investments, including a $25.5M federal grant and a $100M private investment by AG Processing Inc. (AGP) — the largest farmer-owned soybean processing cooperative in the world. Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, AGP is a major U.S. agribusiness owned by over 150 local and regional cooperatives, representing more than 200,000 farmers across the United States.
AGP recognized our area’s link to Asia and invested in us.
The Port of Grays Harbor estimates that this terminal will provide over 80 long-term good-paying jobs. The new facility supports both the local economy and the agriculture industry at large.
Working Class Town
In 2024, the Port of Port Angeles received a $9.4M federal grant from the EPA, which was leveraged with a $525K state grant, to modernize its shore power system, reduce emissions and improve operational efficiency. It also received a $9M federal grant from the DOT, with a 20% match from a state-administered fund, to provide low-emission diesel log stackers as well as electric material handling and conveying equipment. These improvements facilitate loading of exports such as wood chips.
I recently toured other Port Angeles Port projects including expanded infrastructure and buildings at the local airport for manufacturing industries, which the Port hopes to finance in part with state funds. For a county with a job base that has shrunk due to mill closures, these state and federal investments bode well for good-paying job creation.
Marine Trades
I also recently toured operations at the Port of Port Townsend, which in 2024 received a $2.3M federal grant to modernize its boatyard. The boatyard now sports new storm water treatment facilities and a new, variable-width boat hoist with a 300-ton capacity. The boat yard supports marine trades that collectively provide one of the largest sources of employment in the county. This year the Port is seeking state electrification grant funds to further electrify the shipyard.
Collectively these Port projects are the types of infrastructure investments that hold promise for fueling the local economy and something I applaud. We need good paying jobs to stay ahead of the rising cost of living.
Marcia Kelbon lives in Quilcene, on Washington's Olympic Peninsula.
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