Members of Maryland’s congressional delegation announced on Tuesday their plan to introduce legislation that will ensure the federal government fully covers the cost of rebuilding Baltimore’s collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Typically, the federal government covers 90% of bridge replacement costs, with the state contributing the remaining 10%. However, exceptions have been made in similar emergency cases, according to Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.). The proposed bill will clarify that the rebuilding of the Key Bridge will be 100% federally funded and that any money recovered from third parties will be used to reimburse federal taxpayers.

“The fundamental issue right now is passing legislation to clarify that this is 100% a federal responsibility,” Cardin stated after lawmakers attended a closed-door briefing on cleanup efforts.

Officials are uncertain about the exact cost of replacing the bridge, which collapsed last month after being struck by a cargo ship. Experts estimate the recovery could take at least 18 months and cost $400 million. However, Cardin noted that the final cost would depend on the bridge’s design and the incorporation of modern technologies to accommodate increased barge traffic, which was not envisioned when the bridge was built in the 1970s.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the Biden administration expects federal taxpayers to eventually be reimbursed for the bridge replacement, but the process may take time. “Whatever insurance litigation and other related processes play out, we are not going to wait for them to play out to make sure these dollars are getting to where they need to be,” Buttigieg said, emphasizing the urgency of funding Maryland’s efforts to rebuild.

The Key Bridge collapsed on March 26 after being struck by the cargo ship Dali, which had lost power shortly after leaving Baltimore en route to Sri Lanka. The incident occurred too quickly for a roadwork crew filling potholes on the bridge to be evacuated.

Currently, more than 50 salvage divers and 12 cranes are on site, working to remove sections of the bridge from the key waterway. Crews have begun removing containers from the deck and are making progress toward removing bridge sections obstructing the ship’s bow, allowing it to eventually move, according to the Key Bridge Response Unified Command.

Lt. Gen. Scott A. Spellmon of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers briefed the congressional delegation and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on recovery efforts. He stated that approximately 9,000 tons of steel and 3,000 tons of concrete lie at the bottom of the navigation channel leading into the Port of Baltimore, with a commitment to remove the debris by the end of May.

In the interim, officials are working to provide more access to the port, with a limited access channel 280 feet wide and 35 feet deep scheduled for completion this month, restoring one-way access for most cargo coming into and out of Baltimore. Captains will undergo training this week on using the channel.