NEWS

ALABAMA STATE PORT AUTHORITY APPLAUDS PASSAGE OF THE CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT OF 2021

MOBILE, Ala. – December 22, 2020. The Alabama State Port Authority applauded today’s final passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which funds the federal government through September 30, 2021, and provides over $900 million in COVID-19 relief for struggling Americans. “Senator Richard Shelby successfully delivered the bipartisan measure that provides essential funding assistance for both individuals and public infrastructure projects essential to Alabama citizens, businesses and jobs,” said John C. Driscoll, director and chief executive officer of the Alabama State Port Authority.

The package extends the Paycheck Protection Program for business, funds critical to COVID-19 vaccine production and distribution, and extends unemployment benefits and stimulus checks for struggling Americans adversely impacted by the pandemic. Additionally, the federal FY2021 approved appropriations provide competitive grant opportunities important to economic expansion and jobs creation.

To support transportation infrastructure, Senator Shelby was instrumental in funding key competitive grant programs that provide assistance in road, rail, transit and port infrastructure projects. For aviation, the Senator secured nearly $18 billion for funding assistance for airports, control towers, advanced materials and structural safety programs and aviation workforce development. For waterborne commerce, Senator Shelby championed much needed funding levels for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works program. The Corps’ civil works appropriations provide federal dredging of the state’s only seaport and its inland waterway channels, berth dredging at the public terminals, and lock/dam operations and maintenance for both commercial and recreation use. Other measures in the consolidated appropriations bill allows for competitive grants for port security and diesel emissions reductions.

The Alabama State Port Authority owns and operates the State of Alabama’s deep-water port facilities at the Port of Mobile, currently the 11th largest U.S. Seaport by total trade and generating $25.4 Billion in economic value statewide. The Port Authority’s container, general cargo and bulk facilities have immediate access to two interstate systems, five Class 1 railroads, nearly 15,000 miles of inland waterways and air cargo connections. Learn more at www.asdd.com or www.facebook.com/AlabamaStatePortAuth/

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