BALTIMORE — Lawmakers in Maryland announced an emergency bill to support workers at the Port of Baltimore after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed Tuesday. The bridge collapse has closed the port indefinitely, throwing people who work there in limbo.
Senate President Bill Ferguson said he was working on legislation in a social media post Wednesday. Ferguson said he was working on it along with Del. Luke Clippinger and other delegates representing the port.
"The human cost of lives lost yesterday is overwhelming and tragic. The economic and stability loss to the thousands impacted in the days ahead cannot be understated," Ferguson said.
“The economic impact to the State of Maryland and Washington D.C. Metropolitan area is going to be very, very grave,” said Scott Cowan, the President of Local 333, International Longshoremen’s Association.
Cowan said most of the cargo that comes through The Port of Baltimore directly serves our region. He’s concerned about the 2,400 workers he represents who now must wait and see. The port generates more than 15,000 jobs and nearly $400 million in state and local tax revenue each year, according to the Maryland Port Administration.
“Our longshoremen are hired on a daily basis, their jobs are not guaranteed, so when there's no ships here, there's no cargo – there's no work so it affects us greatly,” said Cowan.
The bridge had a catastrophic collapse after a cargo ship apparently lost control and crashed into a support structure. At least eight workers were on the bridge filling potholes when it collapsed. Two of those people were rescued, and one of them went to the hospital and remains in critical condition. Six others were unaccounted for and presumed dead.
No further details were known about the bill.
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