WASHINGTON, D.C. — In milestone news for the Southwest Washington coast, Congress this week allocated the first $12 million to design, test and assign staff for a new generation of 52-foot motor lifeboats for the U.S. Coast Guard.

The overall project, a key priority for U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., is currently expected to cost $172.5 million and pay for up to 12 of the new vessels. Initially, one each would be stationed at Stations Cape Disappointment and Grays Harbor, plus two at Oregon stations. However, the longer-term plan is assign two of the vessels to each of the Northwest coast stations.

In August, Cantwell inspected local Coast Guard facilities with Adm. Linda Fagan, the USCG’s recently confirmed commandant. In addition to replacing Cape D’s current Triumph II 52-footer that was commissioned in 1961, the two explored the need to to address health care and housing challenges faced by Coasties at remote postings like Cape Disappointment and Neah Bay. The funds authorized by Congress this week also advance that priority, with details to come later.

The good funding news this week came close on the heels of last Thursday’s passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, which laid groundwork for the 52-foot motor lifeboat approval. It is unusual for Congress to nearly simultaneously authorize a new project like the lifeboats and provide funding for it. It is “a really big deal,” a congressional staffer told the Chinook Observer in a background briefing.

“From expanding our presence in the Arctic, to replacing new heavy surf boats in Southwest Washington that will help our Coast Guard save lives — the crucial investments included in this law will keep our ports and waterways secure while ensuring that the maritime economy in Washington state continues to thrive,” Cantwell said in a statement last week.

In addition to being faster and up to date — allowing Cape D to continue its central mission of search and rescue — the new 52-footers will be powerful enough to tow large fishing vessels that get into trouble far from shore. The ability to haul imperiled boats into port in a timely way stands to not only save lives, but also preserve the livelihoods of Washington coast fishermen by saving their vessels and catch.

The time until initial deployment of the new boats could still be several years away. Although there’s a possibility they may be able to piggyback on the design of new 65-foot Canadian vessels, they could be an entirely new model that will require extensive upfront work and testing. The Observer will closely monitor and report on project progress.

Although the overall project price tag may seem like a lot of money, the Coast Guard’s new generation of 154-foot cutters — two of which will be stationed in Astoria — cost around $65 million each, for example.