Press Release
☷FACT SHEET Biden Harris Administration Actions Following the Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse
White House ( By Press Release office)
Apr 05,2024
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After the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed , President Biden and his team jumped into action to help Baltimore . They worked with local officials and secured funding to clear the wreckage and support those affected . The President is committed to being there for the people of Baltimore every step of the way . The focus now is on clearing the wreckage and reopening the port . It ' s a complex task , but federal agencies are working together to make it happen as quickly and safely as possible . The U . S . Coast Guard is leading the effort , working with the State of Maryland and others to coordinate the response and bring in additional resources as needed . Getting the assets ready for wreckage removal: A bunch of people from the USACE , Coast Guard , Navy , and the State of Maryland are on the ground helping out . These salvage crews that know what they ' re doing were able to cut and remove some steel wreckage from outside the federal channel on March 30th . The Unified Command has a fleet of six big crane barges that they ' ll use to clear the wreckage from the federal channel , including the Chesapeake 1000 , which is the biggest crane barge on the East Coast . It ' s almost 200 feet long and can lift 1 , 000 tons . This crane barge is gonna be super important for getting rid of the big wreckage from the front of the stranded MV Dali . Earlier this week , the Unified Command made two small alternate channels for the boats that are helping with the wreckage removal . It ' s the first time boats have been able to go through the harbor since the bridge collapsed . Getting emergency funds right away: The U . S . Department of Transportation ' s Federal Highway Administration ( FHWA ) gave the Maryland Department of Transportation $60 million in emergency relief funds as soon as they asked for it . These funds are like a down payment to help with the initial costs , and they ' ll give more money as the work keeps going . They called it a "quick release" of emergency relief funds to help with the wreckage removal , fixing up the transportation stuff , and rebuilding I - 695 and the bridge . Making a timeline for reopening: After doing a bunch of studies and engineering assessments , the USACE announced yesterday that they think they ' ll be able to open a channel for barge container service and some vehicles that carry cars and farm equipment by the end of April . They ' re aiming to get the port back to normal by the end of May . You can find more info here . Getting the initial survey work done: Dive teams are out there in really tough conditions , dealing with rain , rough cold water , and barely being able to see anything . They ' re doing this so they can finish the surveys and start clearing the wreckage from the federal channel . The surveys will help the USACE come up with a plan to make a deeper draft channel , which will let some cargo traffic start going to the Port . It ' s a complicated process , but the safety of everyone involved is the top priority . Giving the resources needed to rebuild the bridge: The Port of Baltimore is super important for the local economy and for getting stuff around the country . The I - 695 corridor , which included the Francis Scott Key Bridge , was a really important way for people and goods to get up and down the East Coast . More than 30 , 000 vehicles drove over the bridge every day . FHWA is helping out with technical assistance , site assessments , and emergency contracts for the new bridge . The President has promised that the Federal government will cover all costs for rebuilding the bridge . Congress is being asked to authorize a 100 percent Federal cost share for this project , similar to past instances of bridge collapses . The Administration is also working to recover costs and ensure that any compensation collected will benefit the American people . Efforts are being made to support workers and businesses in Baltimore and lessen the economic impact of the bridge collapse , including minimizing supply chain disruptions and facilitating the movement of vehicles and machinery through the Port of Baltimore . Commitments have been made by businesses to support workers and the Baltimore economy . The Port of Baltimore plays a crucial role in the local economy , generating over $70 billion in economic impact and employing thousands of people . Major employers like UPS , Amazon , and Home Depot have pledged to retain their workers at the Port of Baltimore facilities . Additionally , the port ' s collective bargaining parties will provide lump - sum payments to longshore workers , and Ports America Chesapeake has committed to providing temporary work to longshoremen who would otherwise be without hours or pay . Efforts are being made to coordinate East Coast ports and streamline rail service to Baltimore . Thanks to this coordination , many ships that couldn ' t dock at Baltimore have been redirected to other ports for unloading . To ensure smooth transportation of cargo to Baltimore , the Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force has partnered with Norfolk Southern Railway Company to launch a dedicated service between the Port of New York and New Jersey and the Seagirt Marine Terminal in Baltimore . This service is in addition to the rail service provided by CSX between New York and Baltimore . A $26 - million grant is being given to Tradepoint Atlantic to help them expand their capacity and handle more vessels at the Port of Baltimore . This funding will be used to pave at least 10 acres , allowing the Terminal to double its previous capacity and handle over 20 , 000 autos per month . The new facility is expected to be up and running later this month . The Biden Administration , along with the State of Maryland , will keep working closely with unions like the International Longshoremen ' s Association and the Teamsters to keep an eye on the risk of layoffs and income loss . They are committed to getting business back up and running at the Port of Baltimore . Some companies are temporarily sending their shipments to other East Coast ports , but they have promised to bring their operations back to Baltimore once it reopens . This includes top automobile importers like Mazda , Mercedes - Benz , Subaru , and Mitsubishi Motors , as well as Amazon . President Biden is determined to fully reopen the port and support the people and businesses of Baltimore . There has been an outpouring of support , and the federal government is working with the Maryland government to provide all possible resources . They are promoting the Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong Alliance , which is a partnership between the Biden Administration , Governor Moore , Mayor Scott , Executive Olszewski , and Executive Pittman . They are also supporting the Building Bridges to Recovery Initiative , a coalition of organizations working to help businesses affected by the bridge collapse and port closure . Additionally , the U . S . Department of Labor has provided initial relief funds of $3 million for displaced workers . We ' re also working with Maryland to open ' Worker Support Centers ' to help port workers and others access the benefits they ' re entitled to . The first center is already up and running , and we ' re working to expand them across the affected areas . We ' re allocating $5 million from our Dislocated Worker Grants Program to help with clean - up efforts after the Key Bridge disaster , and we may approve up to $25 million in total funding . This money can be used for worker training and to help cover wages for those who lost their jobs due to the disaster . We ' re responding to Maryland ' s request for assistance and plan to provide more funding as needed . Small businesses affected by the disaster can apply for low - interest disaster loans through the Small Business Administration . These loans can help cover expenses like debts , payroll , and bills that can ' t be paid due to the bridge collapse . We ' ve already approved some loans and are expecting more applications to come in . The Baltimore Goldman Sachs 10 , 000 Small Businesses team is also on the ground to help connect impacted businesses with resources and temporary job opportunities for workers .
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