Baltimore (WBFF) – Governor Wes Moore replied on Friday to a letter from the Trump administration, which could be at risk of financing the Key Bridge -Raugauerbüberbüberbüben if the state uses diversity, equity and inclusion practices to determine the contract price.
The US Transport Minister Sean Duffy sent governor Moore to a letter in which several concerns, including the budget and the timeline, but also about how the State Awards submits for the construction contract.
“Any dependence on racial or gender consent factors in the case of contract decisions could introduce significant legal weaknesses and inefficiencies in the management of the project,” Duffy wrote in the letter.
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In response to this, Governor Moore outlined why he believes that the key bridge is not only of crucial importance for the economy of the state as a whole. Waren who go through the port of Baltimore Touch, appears beyond Maryland like Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee, said Moore.
“We have to keep an eye on the fact that 13% of our state's economy hangs in balance and that the goods that flow through the harbor not only touch Maryander,” said Moore. “The port of Baltimore takes care of more cars and more agricultural devices than any other port in the country.”
The port of Baltimore is also second for salt and export carbon, Moore added to Duffy's letter in his answer.
However, the governor recognized that the state “will continue to work with the Trump government to find ways to reduce the costs and to rebuild it faster”. A price estimate is expected to be completed in the coming months, said Moore, and the state will present the Maryland Ministry of Transport.
Read also | After Trump threatened the key Bridge financing, Rep. Harris suggests that the state can pay for the reconstruction
“In the meantime, we will continue to pursue legal disputes and make considerable financial contributions through a prerequisite costs and insurance calculation funds in order to keep the project in motion,” concluded Moore.
However, the long statements of the governor, in which the collapse and the cut -off timeline in which the shipping channel was opened, did not mention the concerns that were emphasized in Duffy's letter about the practices.
The Trump government's letter was no surprise for John Dedie, a political analyst in Baltimore. Dedie said, given the back and forth bog with President Donald Trump, the details of Duffy are recently not shocking because of the struggle of the National Guard and the opposition of the Trump government against Dei practices.
“I think it is another way to remind the state of Maryland and governor Moore, who is the authority here,” said Dedie. “We could do a variety of things with this project at any time. And here is what we tell you what needs to happen. Follow the rules of the street or otherwise.”
Maryland has a program for company companies with minorities, which is intended to ensure that “socially and economically disadvantaged small business owners” are included in state contractual options. According to the program of the program, it was created in 1978 by the state's legislators and advertised as a “national model for the inclusion of minorities”.
“This will create a bit of a chaos for the state of Maryland,” said Dedie. “What do you do if you have these provisions that a minority company receives so many percentages of commandments for the work?”
I think this could say this, now, you have to follow our rules. And Maryland says we have our rules. Well, do you advise you? We are the federal government, said Dedie.
Others also submitted an explanation of Duffy's letter; The Democrats from the Maryland congress delegation – all apart from the Republican MP Andy Harris – all spoke about how the key bridge “was larger than Baltimore and Maryland”, and said that the congress had already approved the funds to cover the reconstruction.
“As we have with other large infrastructure disasters with nationwide effects, the congress came together on a two -party basis in order to provide the complete resources required for the reconstruction to ensure that it can be converted as quickly and efficiently as possible,” says the group declaration. “The Federal Government's commitment to finance the reconstruction is passed in the law, and the construction contract was awarded by a legally, competitive, transparent process.”
Like governor Moore, the federal legislators said that they “continued to work with the Ministry of Transport and our partners to continue to ensure this national priority and this commitment”.
The construction of the new bridge has started and will probably cost more than 1.8 billion US dollars and will be completed by 2028.
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