Letter to the Honorable Karen G. Mills, Administrator of the US Small Business Administration - NW WA Delegation Urges SBA to Make Loans Available for Businesses Impacted by Bridge Collapse

Letter

Dear Administrator Mills:

We urge the Small Business Administration (SBA) to promptly evaluate and approve Washington state's Certification for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan SBA Agency Declaration, allowing SBA personnel and disaster resources to deploy to Skagit County in the wake of the Interstate 5 (I-5) Skagit River bridge collapse on May 23, 2013.

As you can imagine, the collapse significantly impacted I-5 traffic for four weeks, causing negative impacts to area small businesses and delaying movement of manufactured goods, tourists visiting the Skagit Valley, and locally-grown agricultural products. Therefore, we strongly support making SBA resources available to help mitigate negative economic impacts to Northwest Washington small businesses.

It is not just local small businesses, though, that are feeling the impacts of the collapse. I-5 is a major United States - Canada trade corridor, with up to $20 billion in international freight traveling along the corridor annually. In fact, of the 71,000 vehicles that usually cross the Skagit River bridge daily, an estimated 12 percent are commercial. These shippers, agricultural producers, and manufacturers have been forced to ship goods outside of business hours, evaluate other shipping ports for export, and budget extra time -- and money -- to move freight and goods to market.

Thank you for your prompt evaluation and approval of Washington state's Certification. We look forward to working with you to bring much needed assistance to Northwest Washington to help small businesses impacted by the I-5 Skagit River bridge collapse.

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