Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/1436355
I DA U N I V E R S A L N ove m b e r - D e ce m b e r 2 0 2 1 39 Given the recent stress on the nation's supply chain, the White House said it has rolled out a "set of concrete steps to accelerate investment in our ports, waterways and freight networks." The United States ports-related compo- nents of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), are front and center, given the heavy amount of attention being given to the ongoing supply chain challenges. According to a White House fact sheet, the legislation invests $17 billion in port infrastructure and waterways and $25 billion in airports to address repair and maintenance backlogs, reduce congestion and emissions near ports and airports, and drive electrifi cation and other low-carbon technologies. Modern, resilient, and sustainable port, airport, and freight infrastructure will strengthen our supply chains and support U.S. competitive- ness by removing bottlenecks and expediting commerce and reduce the environmental impact on neighboring communities. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that on the heels of President Biden signing the IIJA into law, it is now time to get to work on repairing the nation's infrastructure. "Decades of underinvestment in our supply chain infrastructure, combined with unprecedented consumer demand, and the global pandemic all combined have put supply chains to the test," he said. "We recognize that while supply chains Infrastructure Bill Dedicates $17B to Shipping Ports: Is It Enough to Ease Supply Chain Issues? are mainly in the private sector, there are moves the Administration can and must take to help and they are refl ected in the President's port action plan." Some examples of progress made to date by Buttigieg, included: • Working with the Georgia Port Authority to provide fl exibility for fed- eral funds to create pop-up container yards in Georgia and North Carolina to transfer containers further inland via rail and truck and freeing up precious dock space at the port • A pending announcement in the next 25 days for $230 million in funding, for ports around the country, from the existing Port Infrastructure Development Grant Program • In the next 90 days, the next round of port grant funding will be issued, marking the fi rst funds granted under IIJA The White House released a fact sheet specifi c to ports with a "set of concrete steps to accelerate invest- ment in our ports, waterways and freight networks," with multiple goals and objectives, including increasing federal fl exibilities for port grants, accelerating port infrastructure grant awards, announcing new construc- tion projects for coastal navigation, inland waterways, and land ports of entry, and launching the fi rst round of expanded port infrastructure grants through IIJA. With a sharp eye on the ongoing supply chain issues, the White House rolled out various port-related action items, including: • Allowing U.S. port authorities to redirect project cost savings toward tackling supply chain challenges, with the Biden-Harris Administration continuing to look for additional fl ex- ibilities and other solutions to support infrastructure needs in the goods movement supply chain • Alleviating congestion at the Port of Savannah by funding the Georgia Port Authority pop-up container yards project. The Georgia Port Authority will be able to reallocate more than $8 million to convert existing inland facili- ties into fi ve pop-up container yards in both Georgia and North Carolina and transfer containers via rail and truck further inland to be closer to their fi nal destination, which will make available valuable real estate closer to the port. The eff ort will free up more dock space and speed goods fl ow in and out of the Port of Savannah, which leads the nation in container- ized agricultural exports • Launching programs to modernize ports and marine highways with more than $240 million in grant funding within the next 45 days. The Port Infrastructure Development Grant program is the fi rst and only federal grant program wholly dedicated to investments in port infrastructure. DOT will award $230 million in funding for this program and $13 million for the Marine Highway Program to support waterborne freight service • Identifying projects for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers construction at coastal ports and inland waterways within the next 60 days. This plan will provide a roadmap for more than $4 billion in funding to repair outdated infrastructure and to deepen harbors for larger cargo ships • Prioritizing key ports of entry for modernization and expansion within the next 90 days. This plan will identify $3.4 billion in investments to upgrade obsolete inspection facilities and allow more effi cient international trade through the northern and southern borders • Opening competition for the fi rst round of port infrastructure grants funded through the bipartisan infra- structure deal within 90 days. DOT will announce more than $475 million in additional funding for port and marine highway infrastructure. ● www.forconstructionpros.com 11/21