The Port of Astoria is pursuing several federal grants to fund a substantial rehabilitation project planned for Pier 2.

The agency recently submitted a grant application through the U.S. Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program, with an asking price of $25.3 million — a large increase from previous requests. It is the Port’s second request for funding from the federal administration this year.

“That was something that had been longtime in the works,” Will Isom, the Port’s executive director, said at a Port Commission meeting May 2.

The Uniontown pier, which holds seafood processors Da Yang Seafood and Bornstein Seafoods and is crucial to the region’s economy, has been crumbling into the Columbia River for years.

The west side of the pier has rotting decks, degrading concrete and a failing seawall. With complete failure of the pier becoming closer to reality each year, improving Pier 2 has become the Port’s top priority.

In February, the Port Commission voted to award a contract to Bergerson Construction to conduct the work on the pier.

As Pier 2 has slowly deteriorated, the Port has patched on short-term repairs while pursuing funding to finance a long-term fix, but has fallen short on grants. The agency has been unsuccessful in grant requests through the competitive Port Infrastructure Development Program before.

But the Port has recently rethought its approach to marketing the needs on Pier 2, which is estimated to provide an annual output of over $100 million for Clatsop County from seafood processing operations.

Shane Jensen, the Port’s grant writer, and Matt McGrath, the Port’s deputy director, put significant effort into crafting the narrative in the request, Isom said. The Port will hear back within a few months on whether the application received approval.

“The hope would be that we will get some good news here,” Isom said. “ … Along with that, there are many avenues we are exploring in terms of how to get this whole thing funded.”

The Port has made legislative requests, on the state and federal levels, in an effort to land funding.

U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, an Oregon Democrat who represents the North Coast, has said that the Port’s request for funding — around $3 million to meet preconstruction costs — has made her priority list, Isom said.