BALTIMORE — Trump administration officials are expressing concerns about the cost of the Key Bridge rebuild and what they call "unconstitutional DEI practices."
In a letter that U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy sent to Maryland Governor Wes Moore on Friday, he raised concerns about the budget and timeline of the project.
RELATED: Key Bridge demolition process to begin this week, expected to take about 9 months
"DEI contracting practices and ballooning project costs are already threatening to delay this critical project," said Duffy in a statement release with the letter. "We will leverage our oversight authorities to ensure this vital bridge is rebuilt the right way."
He specifies in the letter, "I am particularly interested in how the State of Maryland plans to achieve key delivery metrics for the FSK Bridge replacement project, including MDOT's estimates of a $1.8 billion project cost and 2028 expected completion date."
MORE: Plan, timeline for rebuilding the Key Bridge
He also brings up his concern about "DEI practices."
"One additional area of specific concern relates to whether Maryland intends to award contracts for the FSK Bridge project in a manner that relies on the race or sex of contractors," writes Duffy. "Any reliance on race- or sex-conscious factors in contracting decisions could introduce significant legal vulnerabilities and inefficiencies in the management of the project."
He cites his "Follow the Law" letter, which he sent in April to all recipients of DOT funding.
"[T]he Equal Protection principles of the U.S. Constitution prohibit State and Federal governmental entities from discriminating on the basis of protected characteristics, including race and sex," he writes in the letter sent today to Gov. Moore.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: New Key Bridge design unveiled by Governor Moore
We have reached out to the Governor's office for comment and are awaiting a response.
You can view the full letter Duffy sent to Moore today here:
This story is developing and will be updated.
