Governor Moore on Tuesday signed an economic order providing temporary relief to people and businesses affected by the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. The order will allow $60 million to be used that will allow the Department of Commerce and the Department of Labor to begin planning for the efficient implementation of the business and worker relief programs under the Maryland Protecting Opportunities and Regional Trade (PORT) Act. The order also authorizes the Department of Housing and Community Development to utilize existing funds to provide grants and loans to businesses, while directing state agencies to identify potential funds and existing programs and services that may be deployed to supplement the temporary economic relief programs.
Business support: Governor Moore’s order directs $15 million to the Port of Baltimore Emergency Business Assistance Program at the Maryland Department of Commerce to provide grants of up to $100,000 to businesses directly impacted by the disruption of Port operations, as well as $12.5 million to the Port of Baltimore Worker Retention Program at the Maryland Department of Labor to provide grants to directly impacted businesses that are at risk of laying off employees to keep those workers on the job; among other allocations.
