1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. 2 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 2: Let's turn to our next story. The NTSB said this 3 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 2: investigation into last month's Baltimore bridge collapse is honing in 4 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:16,440 Speaker 2: on the vessel's electrical system. President Biden saying the federal 5 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 2: government will pay for the bridge recovery and rebuild. I meanwhile, 6 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 2: the governor of Maryland saying he hopes to restore full 7 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 2: service at the Port of Baltimore by the end of May. 8 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 2: A place to say that with us is Governor Wes Moore. Governor, 9 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 2: thanks for giving us your time this morning. I know 10 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 2: it's been a very difficult month for you and the 11 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 2: people of your state, very very difficult. I want to 12 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:35,840 Speaker 2: start with this because the President of the United States, 13 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:38,519 Speaker 2: President Joe Biden, has committed to funding the cost of 14 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 2: the rebuild. How confident are you that he can get 15 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:43,560 Speaker 2: that financing through Congress. 16 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,279 Speaker 3: Well, I'm confident that it's imperative that we can get 17 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:50,519 Speaker 3: it done. If you look at the economic impact of 18 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 3: the Port of Baltimore, the Port of Baltimore is worthy 19 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 3: and contributes about seventy billion dollars to the American economy. 20 00:00:58,800 --> 00:00:59,279 Speaker 4: The Port of. 21 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:03,639 Speaker 3: Baltimore is the largest port in this country for new cars, 22 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:07,759 Speaker 3: for heavy trucks, for agricultural equipment, for spices and. 23 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 4: Sugars, for coal. 24 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 3: That a huge chunk of the American economy relies on 25 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 3: the Port of Baltimore. And so I'm thankful that the 26 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:21,400 Speaker 3: Presidents has led and rightfully acknowledged that what happened last week. 27 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 4: Was not just a human catastrophe. 28 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 3: I mean, we lost six Marylanders during this catastrophe, and 29 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 3: it was not just an economic catastrophe for Maryland or 30 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 3: for the region. 31 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 4: This was an economic catastrophe for the country. 32 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 3: And so our ability to be able to rally in 33 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 3: a bipartisan fashion and to be able to get the 34 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 3: poor reopened and reopen the brit and get the bridge 35 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 3: rebuilt is going to be a national priority. 36 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 2: So two issues that so reopened the poor and reopened 37 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 2: the bridge. Can we did with the first one? First, 38 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 2: reopened the poor? How strikeful it is not going to be. 39 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 4: This is a remarkably complex operation. 40 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 3: We've never had a maritime disaster life this where you 41 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 3: have not only a ship, a vessel that's the size 42 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 3: of the Eiffel Tower and the weight of the Washington 43 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 3: Monument that is now stuck in the middle of the 44 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 3: Potasco River, and part of the reason that it's stuck 45 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 3: in the middle of the river is because it has 46 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 3: a bridge, an iconic bridge that's sitting on top of it. 47 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 3: Three to four thousand tons of steel are sitting on 48 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 3: top of the bridge, and the remainder. 49 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 4: Of the bridge is sitting at the bottom of the river. 50 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 3: So this is still a remarkably complex operation, one where 51 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 3: we have our divers who are in there every day 52 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:33,959 Speaker 3: and they literally cannot see anywhere between a foot or 53 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 3: two in front of them because of the amount of 54 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 3: wreckage that's in the water. And so the ability that 55 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 3: we've now been able to open up two channels that 56 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 3: can now have up to a fourteen foot depth so 57 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 3: you can get certain commercial vehicles. 58 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 4: We've had fifty nine. 59 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 3: Commercial transfers that have already taken place, and hopefully by 60 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:54,640 Speaker 3: the end of May we'll have fully functioning operations for 61 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 3: the port. Is a staggering accomplishment when you think about 62 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 3: the speed and the coordination was required in order to 63 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:01,800 Speaker 3: make that happen. 64 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 5: So end of May for the port governor. 65 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:05,079 Speaker 4: But what about the rebuild of the bridge. 66 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:06,360 Speaker 5: What does this timeline look like? 67 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 3: The rebuild of the bridge is going to be a 68 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 3: longer timeline. The thing that we know is for that 69 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 3: bridge that over thirty six thousand people went over that 70 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:18,799 Speaker 3: bridge every single day. That was the bridge that got 71 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 3: people from where they lived to where they worked, from 72 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 3: where they lived to where they worshiped for they lived 73 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:25,920 Speaker 3: to where they went to school. It was also a 74 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 3: key and a crucial part of port operations because for 75 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:32,799 Speaker 3: the Port of Baltimore, it's not just maritime operations. It's 76 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 3: also rail and it's also truck operations that exists in 77 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 3: the Port of Baltimore. 78 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 4: And so in order to truly get the. 79 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 3: Port of Baltimore up and going in the same kind 80 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 3: of fashion that it was before, getting that bridge rebuilt 81 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 3: is going to be imperative, and we know that's going 82 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 3: to be a longer timeline, but we are committed to 83 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 3: making sure did we get the Key Bridge rebuilt? 84 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 5: And I know that's why you're going to be in 85 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 5: Washington today to be speaking to lawmakers about the funding 86 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 5: to rebuild this. I was struck by what Senator Cruz 87 00:03:58,560 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 5: said yesterday. 88 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 4: He said that he wants to. 89 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 5: Get this rebuilt as soon as possible, but he said 90 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 5: it's bureaucratic gilding and lengthy environmental reviews, kind of blaming 91 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 5: it on Democrats for this bureaucracy environmental reviews that could 92 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 5: potentially make this a long term process and not as 93 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 5: quick as say you and residents of Maryland want to see. 94 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 5: Do you agree with him that this should be really 95 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 5: fast tracked. 96 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 3: Well, I'm thankful that Senator Cruz is a yes on 97 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 3: making sure that we can get one hundred percent funding 98 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 3: for it. I'm thankful that Senator Cruz understands how imperative 99 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 3: it is that we both get the port reopened and 100 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:38,039 Speaker 3: also get the bridge rebuilt. 101 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:40,840 Speaker 4: I also know that the White House. 102 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 3: I mean I have my first phone call from the 103 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:44,359 Speaker 3: White House at three o'clock in the morning, the morning 104 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:46,480 Speaker 3: of the tragedy, and the White House has been with 105 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 3: us every single step of the way. The Secretary of 106 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:53,599 Speaker 3: Transportation was literally down there boots on ground before noon 107 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 3: to be able to assess the damage and assess what 108 00:04:56,720 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 3: they can do to help. I have yet to receive 109 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 3: a phone call from Senator Cruz. I've yet to receive 110 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 3: a visit from Senator Cruz. I would welcome him to 111 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:07,040 Speaker 3: come to Baltimore for him to see exactly the circumstances 112 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 3: and the situation that we're dealing with. And I'm sure 113 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 3: when he came he would also see that there are 114 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 3: members of the Biden administration who have been on the 115 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 3: ground the entire time, and I'm sure he would spend 116 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 3: time with them as well when he came to Baltimore. 117 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 4: I know this needs to move quickly. This needs to 118 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 4: move fast. 119 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:24,920 Speaker 3: We need to focus on safety and we've got to 120 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:27,160 Speaker 3: get this thing rebuilt. And I'm glad we are building 121 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 3: a bipartisan support structure around what's going to take and 122 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 3: around what. 123 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 4: That can look like. 124 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 1: You talk about how quickly it's important to rebuild the bridge, 125 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:36,359 Speaker 1: and I know a lot of people would agree from. 126 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 4: Every facet of the region. 127 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 1: How much are you exploring other types of financing if 128 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 1: it doesn't come from the government, whether it's issuing medicipal 129 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 1: bonds or getting public private partnerships. 130 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 3: I think that all options should be on the table, 131 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:53,840 Speaker 3: and all options are on the table. You know, I 132 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 3: don't come from a political background. I'm frankly, I'm an 133 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 3: army guy. I spent I was a paratroop with the 134 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:02,239 Speaker 3: eighty second Airborne and then when I left the army, 135 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:07,039 Speaker 3: I started a business, so I understand the role that 136 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:10,480 Speaker 3: the public sector, the private sector, that philanthropy is also 137 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 3: going to play in this. And if you just look 138 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 3: at the past week, you know we've used every lever 139 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 3: at our disposal to be able to address this issue. 140 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:21,480 Speaker 3: I actually issued an executive order that released sixty million 141 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:25,039 Speaker 3: dollars of state funding that went towards supporting our port workers. 142 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:29,160 Speaker 3: We actually signed legislation that focused on things like providing 143 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 3: scholarships to the children of transportation workers who have died 144 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,919 Speaker 3: on the job, and also providing additional supports for businesses. 145 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,280 Speaker 3: We also helped launch something called the Maryland Tough Baltimore 146 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 3: Strong Alliance, which is over eighty organizations, private sector businesses, 147 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 3: and philanthropy. We've now raised over fifteen million dollars. It's 148 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 3: going towards port workers and also have a commitment from 149 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:52,239 Speaker 3: businesses to do things like they're not laying off their workers. 150 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 3: If they have to temporarily move operations from the Port 151 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:56,720 Speaker 3: of Baltimore, they're going to bring them. They've committed to 152 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 3: bringing them back to the Port of Baltimore. So we 153 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 3: know it's import or to use every single leber at 154 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 3: our disposal and that every sector, private sector, public sector 155 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:08,839 Speaker 3: philanthropy have all got to be involved in at the 156 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 3: table in order for us to get to our long 157 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 3: term conclusions. 158 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 1: Well, as a Marylander, as a business owner, as a 159 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: military man, you fully understand the importance of infrastructure and 160 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 1: what the ramifications could be. The longer that this goes 161 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: on is very drop dead time, where say it takes 162 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 1: two years, and that's the maximum that it could take 163 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: to rebuild this bridge and get operations to reopen the port, 164 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 1: to get things back up and running. Were Maryland Baltimore 165 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 1: can withstand that versus after that where it becomes a 166 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: real financial weight that has much more punitive consequences. 167 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 3: Well, it's a financial weight now, and it's the reason 168 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 3: that we are moving as fast as humanly possible. It's 169 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 3: the reason that we have twenty four to seven operations 170 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 3: that are going right now, and that cadence, that speed, 171 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 3: it's not going to stop. I'm committed to making sure 172 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:57,120 Speaker 3: that we are moving with speed on this because we 173 00:07:57,200 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 3: have to remember there are tens of thousands of port 174 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 3: workers that right now are being impacted by this, their 175 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 3: entire communities that now have watched their way of life 176 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 3: completely upended. They are industries that the country relies on 177 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 3: that are now at either a stop or a stall 178 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 3: because of what has happened with this port tragedy. And 179 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 3: so you know how imperative it is that we move 180 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 3: fast on this. It sits with me every single day, 181 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 3: and I know we are going to and I'm going 182 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 3: to demand twenty four to seven operations until we accomplish 183 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 3: four goals. 184 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:34,200 Speaker 4: Bring closure to these families, reopen these channels. 185 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 3: Make sure we're taking care of our people who've been 186 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 3: impacted by this, and getting the bridge rebuilt. 187 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 2: Governor, how much money do you need? 188 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 3: Well, the truth is that we don't have an official 189 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 3: price tag on that right now. That we know this 190 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 3: is going to be a long journey. We know this 191 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 3: is going to be something that is expensive. We also 192 00:08:56,080 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 3: know though taking place thus far, would have asked me 193 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 3: two weeks ago, seeing what I saw, and said that 194 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 3: two weeks later we would have two commercial channels open, 195 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 3: that by the end of this month, we should have 196 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:11,200 Speaker 3: up to a thirty five foot depth and draft that 197 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 3: should be able to get a lot of the new 198 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 3: cars and roll on roll off that the Port of 199 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 3: Baltimore relies on up and going and by the end 200 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,680 Speaker 3: of May, we should have the port fully functioning. I 201 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:22,559 Speaker 3: would have said, when you look at the damage and 202 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:24,679 Speaker 3: the devastation that we saw, I would have said, that 203 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 3: seems very ambitious. But that's where we are. And so 204 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 3: we know this is going to be a long journey. 205 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,400 Speaker 3: We know this is not going to be inexpensive journey, 206 00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 3: but it's a journey that we all have got to 207 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 3: be committed to because this means everything to not just 208 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 3: our region and our state, but to the long term 209 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 3: growth of maritime operations in the American economy. 210 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:44,599 Speaker 2: Governor, we appreciate your time, and I know this is 211 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 2: going to be a long route ahead for you, and 212 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 2: you'll stay and it's going to be an oncoming conversation 213 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:50,200 Speaker 2: and hopefully we can solt you Aekeaind in the future. 214 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 2: Governor Westmall, thank you, sir, the Governor that matter, that 215 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:55,640 Speaker 2: difficult conversation, difficult time.