Grays Harbor County sits along Washington’s Pacific coastline and is a gateway to the Olympic Peninsula.  Grays Harbor has been working toward transitioning from a predominantly timber based economy to one with exciting new and growing industries such as Imperium Renewables, Westport Shipyards, and Paneltech, Inc.  There is also a new focus on sustainability and renewable energy.  One example of this is Grays Harbor Paper Company which produces a product that is 100% recycled paper.  They also have a turbine that is fed with biomass from the area and is used to provide power to Grays Harbor Paper with the remaining energy sold to the local PUD.  Another example is Paneltech, Inc., located at the Port of Grays Harbor which is producing a line of countertops made from recycled Grays Harbor Paper.

View of the Pacific at Ocean Shores.

The citizens and local leaders have formed a project in the area called Vision 2020 which is focusing on “building a sustainable Grays Harbor.”  The organizers of Vision 2020 will be seeking input from as many people in the area as possible and then eventually putting together a list of projects and ideas that will help to move Grays Harbor forward.  Norm looks forward to supporting the community in this effort.

Imperium Renewables
Norm was proud to attend the grand opening of Imperium Renewables along with Senators Murray and Cantwell and other local leaders.  This is the largest biodiesel production facility in the United States with the capabilities to produce 100 million gallons per year. This facility turns farm crops including canola oil from Washington State into cleaner burning diesel fuel that will help replace oil that we now get from foreign sources.  In addition to being a source of renewable fuels, it has also created many jobs for the Grays Harbor community. 

Olympic Stadium
Through the Save America’s Treasures program which operates under the jurisdiction of the Interior Appropriations subcommittee, Norm was able to secure federal funding to help restore this historic structure.  This stadium, located in Hoquiam, Washington and home to the Hoquiam Grizzlies, was built in 1937 as part of President Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration that created jobs and that left communities all over the nation with substantial and lasting assets during the Great Depression.  It is now one of the last remaining wooden stadiums in America.  In 2006, Norm attended the kick-off of this restoration effort which also served as the 101st football game between two famous rivalries in the area, the Hoquiam Grizzlies and the Aberdeen Bobcats.

Hoquiam Senior Kitchen 
Through the Economic Development Initiatives account of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Norm was able to secure federal funding to help build a new Senior Kitchen in Hoquiam.  This kitchen, run by the Coastal Community Action Program (CCAP), has proven to be a tremendous asset for this community, producing over 25,000 meals annually.  The new kitchen saves CCAP significant resources, allowing it to address many other urgent needs in the area.   In 2006, Norm was proud to attend the grand opening of the Senior Kitchen and to recognize the strong community effort behind this project.

Westport Senior House
Norm was in attendance at both the ground breaking and ribbon cutting which celebrated the expansion of the Senior House.  This project benefited from state and local funding, grants from charitable organizations and tremendous community support.  Norm was pleased to be able to secure federal funding for this important project through the Economic Development Initiatives account of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.  This expanded facility is able to accommodate more people and more programming.  There is additional space for activities, a larger and more modern kitchen, and an improved library with new computer capacity. 

Spartina Eradication in Grays Harbor
Norm has also worked to expand a successful Spartina eradication effort from Willapa Bay National Wildlife Refuge to the Grays Harbor area, where the invasive grass is also threatening shellfish and other marine life.  For the past two years, he has secured additional federal funds to address the problem in Grays Harbor in order to assure that the fast-growing Spartina weed does not take root in our local waters.

Norm represents all of Grays Harbor County.

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