Small scale: Rural port districts turn to niche business

EASTERN WASHINGTON — Washington has 75 port districts scattered around the state, 21 of them in the eastern part of the state. Some of those, like the ports of Kennewick, Pasco or Moses Lake, have fairly extensive facilities and serve a wide variety of functions, including operating airports, shipping terminals and other facilities as well as working to bring trade and economic development to their area. But other, smaller port districts occupy small economic niches that don’t get as much publicity. The Port of Pend Oreille, which includes all of Pend Oreille County in the northeast corner of Washington, is one of the newest port districts, having formed in 1979 for the sole purpose of keeping a local rail line from being shut down.