Clogged U.S. ports are being given access to nearly $450 million in federal money from President Joe Biden’s infrastructure law in an effort to ease supply chain congestion and lower prices, reports the Associated Press.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg last week announced the availability of a first batch of competitive grants for ports that will double last year’s amount annually for five years. The grants specifically aim to reduce bottlenecks that have slowed the flow of goods to store shelves and pushed up costs
The grants are among several pots of money under the $1 trillion law that the department intends to steer toward providing mid- and long-term relief to the nation’s supply chain, which administration officials describe as somewhat outdated and broken. Still, acknowledging that the upgrades will take time, Biden officials have largely shied away from any assurances that Americans could see clear and demonstrable changes to their lives before the 2022 midterm elections.
U.S. ports will have until May to apply for the grants, which will be awarded by fall. Read more.
