The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) recently certified the last of the five proposed inland port authorities and districts designated under the Municipal Inland Port Authority Act (MIPAA) of 2021. The districts are South Sioux City, Lincoln County, Fremont and Dodge County under a joint application, Bellevue and Omaha.
According to the DED, MIPAA was passed to stimulate economic growth in Nebraska by approving five governing bodies, or inland port authorities, to manage land development in strategic areas. The act seeks to encourage industrial and commercial projects across the state near transportation centers like navigable waterways, roads, railroads and airports.
MIPAA equips communities with additional powers and capabilities to “acquire and develop large shovel-ready sites,” such as being able to carry out marketing and business recruitment activities or applying to establish foreign trade zones under federal law.
Approved inland port authorities are also eligible to apply for funds from the Site and Building Development Fund (SBDF) Subaccount created by the Nebraska Legislature to finance development projects under the MIPAA.
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The initiatives leverage Nebraska’s position as a transportation and logistics hub in the United States. According to the DED, certified inland port authorities and districts will support travel and trade infrastructure by acting as “regional merging points” for products and people moving across the state.
The DED used the following criteria to determine the most suitable applicants for inland port authority designation:
- Desirability and economic feasibility of an area
- Technical and economic capability of a city, county or counties to carry out planned development
- Strategic location of a proposed area within the state, such as its proximity to established infrastructure, to promote trade and business
- Economic impact on the immediate area and community
- Economic impact on the region and state as a whole
You can read more about the MIPAA on DED’s website.
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