The Pacific Coast Intermodal Port (PCIP) project got a major nod at a recent U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works hearing, with Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley and United States Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy making it clear: this project matters.

During the hearing, Senator Merkley highlighted the critical role the PCIP project will play in strengthening the supply chain, reducing congestion at West Coast ports, and creating economic opportunities in Oregon and beyond. Secretary Duffy stated the administration has been discussing the catalytic project at the highest levels of Washington.

  (The following quotes have been paraphrased for clarity and brevity. They are not verbatim transcriptions from the hearing. The full hearing is linked below.)

Senator Merkley:
“There is a deep water port on the Oregon coast that is a perfect place to establish the ability to move freight and add port capacity and they are hoping to see the philosophy you’ve been expressing applied so they can go forward with design work for that port.”

Secretary Duffy:
“I’ve had internal conversions with the administration….. and it is on my radar. I’ll continue to look at it and work with others in the administration about this project and how it could move forward in a very productive way. I think it’s an important area and an important project.”

Merkley:
“I’ve often heard folks talk about how when there’s a project of national significance it really needs to go to the top of the pile. This is one with not just regional but with national significance. To be able to get our products out fast and cheaply and our products in fast and cheaply. …… We don’t want to have to go through Canada and then ship it down into the United States. This is a huge opportunity for us to do something of national significance.”

Duffy:
“I hear you and I’ve heard others talk about this same topic so I’d be happy to partner with you on this and think through how it could look and how we could do it.”

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The full hearing is at the link below:
Senate EPW Committee Hearing – March 2025

• Senator Merkley’s remarks begin at 59:53
• Secretary Duffy’s remarks begin at 1:00:42