A 14 billion dollar grant to the Army Corps of Engineers has been released by the Biden administration to fund 500 projects, with a focus on easing supply chain issues.
The administration is trying to highlight how the projects will alleviate supply chain backlogs, and the spending stems largely from president Joe Biden’s $1 trillion infrastructure deal.
According to a White House fact sheet obtained by The Associated Press, three specific projects are aimed at reducing supply bottlenecks by facilitating the transportation of goods. During the economic recovery from the pandemic, U.S. ports struggled to handle the influx of container ships and load containers onto trucks, resulting in delays in shipping goods to consumers and higher prices.
There are $858 million worth of projects being funded for the Army Corps of Engineers, including the replacement of locks on the Ohio River to raise water levels for large cargo ships.
By including locks, water levels can be raised or lowered and uneven terrain can be navigated easier. In the announcement on Wednesday, $470 million will go toward a new lock in Michigan that’s essential for shipping iron ore.
The Port of Long Beach, part of the nation’s largest port complex, will be able to pass larger and more ships with the help of eight million dollars spent on navigation.
After handling 67% more shipping containers in 2021 than it did 10 years ago, Norfolk Harbor in Virginia will receive $69 million to expand its capacity.
