Oregon Public Broadcasting

The fight has flared-up again over moving the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Pacific Fleet from Washington to Oregon. As Kristian Foden-Vencil reports, Washington Senator Maria Cantwell says the move quote: 'wastes taxpayer dollars.'

Cantwell made her comments during a Wednesday hearing of the Senate Finance Committee.

She cited an Inspector General report that said cheaper facilities in Washington weren’t considered. Then she suggested Congress should cut funding for the project.

The manager of the Port of Newport, Don Mann, says work will continue:

Don Mann: "You know the funding that is building this project is not coming directly from the federal government. This is money that we were able to negotiate with the state of Oregon we are also going to be selling revenue bonds to build this facility."

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said the report contained nothing that should change the facility going to Newport.

Senator Cantwell and a bipartisan group of sponsors later introduced a bill to create Commerce Department grants to create coastal jobs.

The five-acre shipyard is scheduled to open next June, with a staff of 175.