{"id":2207884,"date":"2024-03-27T21:07:03","date_gmt":"2024-03-28T01:07:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rep-andy-harris-calls-for-the-lifting-of-red-tape-to-help-rebuild-baltimore-bridge\/"},"modified":"2024-03-27T21:13:55","modified_gmt":"2024-03-28T01:13:55","slug":"rep-andy-harris-calls-for-the-lifting-of-red-tape-to-help-rebuild-baltimore-bridge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rep-andy-harris-calls-for-the-lifting-of-red-tape-to-help-rebuild-baltimore-bridge\/","title":{"rendered":"Rep. Andy Harris urges for cutting through bureaucratic red tape to facilitate the reconstruction of the Baltimore bridge"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">36<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frep-andy-harris-calls-for-the-lifting-of-red-tape-to-help-rebuild-baltimore-bridge%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2207884&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Rep. Andy \u2063Harris calls for \u2064reduced environmental\u2062 and regulatory obstacles\u200b to expedite the Baltimore\u2064 Francis Scott Key Bridge&#8217;s reconstruction. Collaboration between\u2062 state\u200b and federal authorities is crucial, especially to aid\u2063 victim recovery efforts and streamline the\u2064 rebuilding process efficiently.\u200c President\u200b Biden pledges full federal\u200c funding for the bridge reconstruction. Transport\u200d Secretary \u200dButtigieg stresses the urgent need\u2062 for\u200c a swift\u200d rebuild\u200c to minimize economic impacts on local and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cdc-face-masks-dont-prevent-covid-19-study-finds-masks-have-negligible-impact-on-coronavirus-numbers\/\" title=\"CDC: Face masks don\u2019t prevent COVID-19, study finds masks have negligible impact on coronavirus numbers\">global supply chains<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) said on Wednesday that the state of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/maryland\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Maryland\">Maryland<\/a> and the federal government need to reduce the \u201cenvironmental and regulatory burdens\u201d to help expedite the reconstruction of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/baltimore\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Baltimore\">Baltimore<\/a>\u2018s Francis Scott Key Bridge.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs we first concentrate on recovering the victims, it is important that both the State and Federal governments work together to immediately reduce the environmental and regulatory burdens that would hinder the rapid reconstruction of the Key Bridge,\u201d Harris <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepAndyHarrisMD\/status\/1773033371033026582\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"said\">said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/C5BuiFfJeb4\/?utm_source=ig_embed&#038;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\"><\/blockquote>\n<p>While some experts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/dc-md-va\/2024\/03\/26\/baltimore-key-bridge-collapse-maryland\/#link-XBGJS4ZDVRAQZOJT4K5GZDQT2I\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"suggest\">suggest<\/a> the bridge could be rebuilt in over a year, the environmental and regulatory issues could backtrack time frames in accomplishing such building construction. The current debris has yet to be cleared and the project of reconstruction will cost at least hundreds of millions of dollars.<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure><figcaption>A Coast Guard cutter passes a cargo ship that is stuck under part of the structure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after the ship hit the bridge Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo\/Steve Helber)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Republican Maryland State Dels. Kathy Szeliga and Ryan Nawrocki, both representing Baltimore County, called on government authorities on Tuesday to replicate the recovery response of the Interstate 35 Mississippi River bridge collapse, saying that that bridge was built in less than 13 months.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWithin two days of that bridge collapse, Congress bipartisanly passed a unanimous resolution to spend $250 million to rebuild that bridge. All efforts were streamlined as multiple agencies worked unilaterally to rebuild the bridge safely in record time,\u201d the delegates said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>The state lawmakers continued, \u201cThe time period of rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge can decrease from several years to months if we replicate the rebuilding efforts of the Minneapolis Bridge project and not allow <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tokyo-olympics-set-to-go-on-regardless-of-covid-19-pandemic\/\" title=\"Tokyo Olympics Set To Go On \u2018Regardless\u2019 Of COVID-19 Pandemic\">government red tape<\/a> to hold back the recovery efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>President Joe Biden <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/us\/biden-says-federal-government-will-fund-baltimore-bridge-rebuild-2024-03-26\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"vowed\">vowed<\/a> on Tuesday that the federal government would \u201cpay for the entire cost of reconstructing that bridge.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI expect the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Congress\">Congress<\/a> to support my effort,\u201d Biden said.<\/p>\n<p>Transportation Secretary <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pete-buttigieg\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Pete Buttigieg\">Pete Buttigieg<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2024\/03\/27\/1241130338\/baltimore-bridge-collapse-raises-many-issues-for-transportation-secretary-buttig\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"said\">said<\/a> that he wants the rebuild to happen \u201cas quickly as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The transportation secretary warned that the bridge collapse will have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/russias-invasion-of-ukraine-is-shaping-chinas-plans-for-taiwan\/\" title=\"Russia\u2019s Invasion of Ukraine Is Shaping China\u2019s Plans for Taiwan\">significant economic impact<\/a> on the supply chains in the Port of Baltimore and globally.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe whole country counts on the shipping that goes through that port. And that 695 bridge connection is important to the entire region, as well,\u201d Buttigieg <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2024\/03\/27\/1241130338\/baltimore-bridge-collapse-raises-many-issues-for-transportation-secretary-buttig\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"said\">said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Francis Scott Key Bridge is one of the heaviest-trafficked bridges in Baltimore, and its tragic collapse will halt the flow of ships in and out of the Port of Baltimore and hurt the local economy,\u201d Congressman Harris said Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>The Port of Baltimore, one of the busiest ports in the United States, provides hundreds of thousands of jobs and handled over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ksby.com\/how-the-baltimore-bridge-collapse-impacts-commerce-jobs-and-cruises\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"$80.8 billion\">$80.8 billion<\/a> in foreign cargo last year. The port is also a major hub for Norwegian, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean cruises.<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure><figcaption>Coast Guard Deputy Commandant for Operations Vice Adm. Peter Gautier listens as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaks about the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse during a press briefing at the White House, Wednesday, March 27, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Evan Vucci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cThe original bridge took about five years to build, but we want to do everything possible to make sure this takes place as quickly as possible,\u201d Buttigieg said Wednesday. \u201cThere is no exact precedent for this. There was the Minnesota bridge collapse. That was not because it was struck by anything. It collapsed because of design issues in 2007. That one took about 14 months to reconstruct.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He added, \u201cBut again, it\u2019s too soon to know how similar or how different the engineering challenges are going to be.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Buttigieg <a href=\"https:\/\/www.c-span.org\/video\/?534540-1\/white-house-daily-briefing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"pledged\">pledged<\/a> to commit the federal resources needed to help but cautioned the challenges are still ongoing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn the Baltimore case, we still don\u2019t fully know the condition of the portions of the bridge that are still standing or of infrastructure that is below the surface of the water. So rebuilding will not be quick or cheap,\u201d he said during the White House press briefing on Wednesday. <\/p>\n<p>The <em>Dali<\/em>, the Singapore-flagged cargo vessel that lost power early Tuesday before colliding into and collapsing the Baltimore bridge, is still undergoing recovery efforts. Divers are assessing the debris and working on a plan to help remove the ship from under the collapsed bridge.<\/p>\n<p>Coast Guard Deputy Commandant Vice Adm. Peter Gautier <a href=\"https:\/\/www.c-span.org\/video\/?534540-1\/white-house-daily-briefing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"said\">said<\/a> during the White House press briefing that the Coast Guard is on board the vessel and taking steps to refloat the ship and remove it from the area.<\/p>\n<p>Gautier noted that while the vessel is stable, there still remains on board over 1.5 million gallons of fuel, oil, lube, and 4700 cargo containers, along with 56 containers with hazardous materials that could be a potential pollution threat to the harbor.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/two-bodies-pulled-from-baltimore-bridge-wreckage-as-officials-warn-of-hazardous-materials-aboard-ship\/\" title=\"Two bodies recovered from Baltimore bridge collapse amid hazardous material concerns on ship\">real critical thing<\/a> here is that a portion of the bridge remains on the bow of that ship. And we will be coordinating very closely with the Army Corps of Engineers and their contractors to first affect the removal of that debris before the vessel can then be removed,\u201d Gautier stated.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe vessel bow is sitting on the bottom because of the weight of the bridge debris,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>The Coast Guard official said there were underwater surveys in motion to study the vessel but as of now, there is no indication of flooding or damage underneath the water line of the ship. Port of Virginia in Norfolk Harbor is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pilotonline.com\/2024\/03\/26\/port-of-virginia-baltimore-ship-traffic-bridge-collapse\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"anticipating\">anticipating<\/a> some of the shipping traffic of Baltimore to be diverted to its port.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) emphasized the need for Maryland and federal authorities to ease environmental and regulatory hurdles for swift Francis Scott Key Bridge reconstruction. Collaboration between state and federal entities is essential alongside prioritizing victim recovery efforts<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2678,"featured_media":2207885,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/AP24086714395088-1024x597.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2207884","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/AP24086714395088-1024x597.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2207884","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2678"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2207884"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2207884\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2207885"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2207884"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2207884"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2207884"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}