Federal grant money flows to Greenport marina

A capital project on Greenport’s wish list moved a step toward becoming a reality Tuesday, when Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton) announced he had secured $105,0000 in federal funding to build dock pedestals and upgrade electricity at Mitchell Park Marina. The improvements are necessary to accommodate large transient boats, 26 feet or more in length.

Pedestals are the posts on which utility equipment is mounted to serve docked vessels at each slip.

The federal grant will be supplemented by $45,413 in state money through the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
The village will have to pay about $45,000 in matching funds, Mayor David Nyce said. The grants and the village’s contribution will pay for at least 90 percent of the project, the mayor said. Additional support could come from private sources through donations or in-kind services, he said. The IGA Supermarket has been “instrumental” in promising support for the project, Mr. Nyce said, but he couldn’t provide details.
“These federal funds will improve Greenport’s marina and help create jobs by allowing more visitors to access one of the North Fork’s treasures,” Mr. Bishop said.
The funding came through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Boating Infrastructure Grant Program and the Sport Fishing and Boating Trust Fund, previously known as the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund. It’s supported by boaters and manufacturers through excise and other taxes on fishing and boating equipment and boat fuel.
In 2009, Greenport applied for a similar grant that wasn’t awarded. But with IGA’s promise to provide support for project, and some tweaking of the numbers, this year’s renewed application was successful, Mr. Nyce said.
“We’re going to move this as quickly as we can,” the mayor said. “Strike while the iron’s hot.” His aim is to get the project under way quickly so that large transient boats can be accommodated on marina’s east pier this season.
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