MOSES LAKE - With the new year ringing in, officials with four Grant County ports shared their projects and goals with the Columbia Basin Herald.

Fielding business inquiries, developing strategic plans and continuing to improve roads and a water system were among the ports' respective activities in Ephrata, Warden, Quincy and Mattawa.

EPHRATA

At the Port of Ephrata, port Manager Mike Wren said he is working predominantly on strategic planning during the early part of the year.

"We're trying to be in a position to recruit businesses coming in," Wren commented. "Some are looking around, but are doing some pre-previewing before they go through the EDC (Grant County Economic Development Council)."

Wren heard of two data centers and an agriculture-related processing company showing interest in Grant County. The processing company is seeking 30 to 50 acres of land.

"In general, we're just generally trying to invest in infrastructure and be in a position to attract businesses as they come," Wren said.

The port is due to head to court in February concerning the final determination on the Washington Tire contract.

The tire plant project didn't happen in Ephrata as planned, he said.

The port contends the company didn't represent itself as it was, he said.

Wren said port officials are waiting for the courts to say whether or not it can decline the land sale.

This summer, the port is working on design work for a new replacement taxi-way. It helps the port develop additional hangars for the future and provide direct access from the taxi-way reaching the runway.

WARDEN

At the Port of Warden, officials are building roads and installing water lines at Road U Southeast this year, said port Manager Pat Millard.

The bids for the project are done and the port purchased the pipe.

Tommer Construction, of Ephrata, is handling the road portion of the project.

Pacific Coast Canola continues its work on a new plant in Warden, which it started building in November. Millard expects the plant to be operating in 2013.

Millard said they hope to have new businesses make announcements in 2012 about coming to Warden, but plans haven't been finalized.

"We hope to grow things here, but it takes time," Millard said.

QUINCY

At the Port of Quincy, commission President Curt Morris said their goal is to continue its mission statement of promoting industrial development for new and existing businesses within the port district.

Capacity is being added to Cold Train, a refrigerated intermodal train service from the Port of Quincy to the Port of Chicago.

There are hopes of doubling shipments year over year, he explained.

"We're going to continue to explore the development of our intermodal facility and continue efforts to promote rail access," he said.

The port is working on other projects, but isn't ready to announce further details.

Morris said he assumes the Port of Quincy continues to be a market for technology-type companies, even in a constantly changing market.

The Santa Clara, Calif.-based Vantage Data Centers is moving dirt at its Quincy site for a new facility, he explained.

"They are building away," Morris said.

Vantage is looking at upwards of 100 permanent jobs, he said.

Port of Quincy officials would like to develop an innovation-type facility for people trying out new business ideas.

"We've got the ground and the spot to do it," he said. "Those are the things we'll make a concentrated effort to do."

One of their biggest goals is to increase marketing efforts by attending food processing and technology trade shows, "where we feel the audience will fit into the area," Morris said.

He spoke of the importance of  marketing and keep your infrastructure up to speed.

MATTAWA

At the Port of Mattawa, port manager Bob Adler said developments are underway for a commercial water service to support the port's industrial parks - two and four.

J & S Crushing, Douglas Fruit and Ginkgo Forest Winery are located at industrial park two.

There aren't any businesses at industrial park four because there isn't a water source.

The upcoming system brings water to the park later this year. There are two potential land sales expected in the future for a fertilizer plant and future winery, depending on the availability of water.

The water project is being done in stages as the port finds funding and has about $425,000 funding for the first stage, to bring commercial wells online.

Port of Moses Lake Commission President Kent Jones' interview appears in the Columbia Basin Herald at a later date.