Transcripts

text | pdf |

---

MARY PETERS: I'm here to announce that we are making [AUDIO OUT] in Federal Emergency Relief Aid available to support the state's work. These funds are in addition to the five--

[AUDIO OUT]

Application also secured to help the transit operations continue. This past Monday, President Bush signed legislation authorizing $250 million in emergency relief. While we're waiting for these funds to be appropriated, we want to make sure that the state has the resources to move forward. MnDOT will use these funds to pay the bills that are coming in for cleanup and recovery work, including cleaning debris and rerouting traffic, as well as for design work on a new bridge. Even while we continue to clear the wreckage, plans are moving forward to rebuild this bridge.

Here again, we are clearing the way to allow the state to move faster. We will make sure that the necessary reviews are in place, so that it does not affect the timeline of the construction and the recovery. The president made it very clear this bridge will not get stuck in red tape, and I am here to deliver on that pledge. We'll continue to work hand in hand with state and local officials and the Congressional delegation to get Minnesota the support it needs from the federal government and to clear any hurdles that might be in the way of that road to recovery.

Thank you all so much for being here today. I'd like to now introduce Governor Pawlenty to allow him to make a few remarks.

TIM PAWLENTY: Thank you, Madam Secretary.

MARY PETERS: Governor.

TIM PAWLENTY: Thank you.

Well, Minnesotans and Americans pull together in times of crisis. And this response to this crisis from our federal partners and local government partners has been terrific. In an otherwise horrific situation, that Minnesota goodness and the value of partnerships shines through, and we're seeing that again here today.

Secretary Peters's announcement of the original $5 million in emergency assistance, plus the $5 million additional for the transit help that we'll need to mitigate the traffic concerns that are caused by this tragedy, plus the now announced today $50 million in additional emergency funds, plus the $250 million for the bridge replacement and related costs are tremendously helpful and tremendously appreciated. And on behalf of the state of Minnesota, I want to thank you, Secretary Peters, and the entire congressional delegation for your tremendous work in helping us respond to and recover from this tragedy.

I also want to mention the additional work that the federal government is doing with respect to the FBI and Navy divers. We had enormous, tremendous response from our local officials and local divers in that regard. But when the need arose to have some specific heavy demolition divers, from the time I had a chance to talk to the Secretary of Navy Saturday night, from the time that somebody was on the ground responding, it was a matter of hours. And in fact, the team was here the very next day.

And so those divers have been very helpful to supplement the good work of the Minneapolis Police and the Hennepin County Sheriff's Department and have made very significant and important steps in the recovery effort, which helps bring to closure for more and more families the issue of what happened to their loved ones who are missing. And we hope that more progress can be made on that today and in the coming days.

And then lastly, to our entire Minnesota Congressional delegation, the way that they have worked together in unity with dispatch and promptness is really an example of how the federal government can and should work, particularly in times of crisis. And we're grateful. On behalf of Minnesota, we are grateful for all of this help, and we appreciate Secretary Peters being back here in Minnesota.

MARY PETERS: Governor, thank you so much. Senator Coleman.

NORM COLEMAN: Thank you, Madam Secretary. I want to thank the Secretary for her action today. Just to understand, kind of put this in context, Congressman Oberstar, with the support of the Minnesota delegation, received a-- passed a bill that provided for $250 million authorization. That doesn't mean you have the money in hand. You need an appropriation--

[AUDIO OUT]

That would be a while. What we're doing, I understand, is kind of drawing on the account. That we understand that the 250 will be there, and we're making money available today, right now, for the city of Minneapolis, the state of Minnesota to move forward. What you've seen here is a level of cooperation that is perhaps unparalleled.

It is what it should be. I think we've all learned some lessons in the past when the federal government perhaps did not move as swiftly and as a coordinated manner. But what you're seeing today are the highest levels of coordination. We do want to move forward quickly to rebuild this bridge. There are a number of issues that have to be discussed and reviewed before that.

We want to build a bridge that will certainly take us into the future, rather than simply be a reflection of the past. But what you're seeing is, on the federal level, a commitment to say, we're not going to let red tape get in the way. At one point I said, I want to be a scissor that cuts red tape. I don't think you need that scissor. I think what you have is a commitment from the president, as reflected in the actions of the secretary and other secretaries, to say that the federal government will be a full partner.

We'll do all in its power to accelerate and move forward the process and then work hand in hand with the state and the community to hopefully build the bridge, the type of bridge, that will best serve this community for decades to come. Thank you.

MARY PETERS: Senator, thank you so much. Congressman.

KEITH ELLISON: I'd like to join with the governor and Senator Coleman and Secretary Peters in thanking all of our local community officials from working so quickly. Also, the people of this community have pulled together behind those of us who have lost loved ones and have shown tremendous compassion, which doesn't surprise me one bit about this community. That's what we're about.

And over the last several days, we have attended some funerals and visited people who are healing. And we just want them all to know that they stay in our prayers, that we continue to be concerned, and that this community is going to have to-- going to just-- we're just going to have to stay with our folks until they get through this very difficult time. And I just want to also add my voice in saying that this bridge must be built expeditiously.

But that also it's going to be built properly, and that it will be of high quality. And that as we say, red tape, of course, we want to cut that red tape. But that does not mean cutting important environmental safety and equal opportunity standards. So yeah, let's get this built as quickly as we can.

Let's get Minnesota back strong on its feet. And I'm just so proud to be a Minnesotan today, and I know you are, too. Thank you.

AMY KLOBUCHAR: I represent Saint Paul, and this bridge is a connection. It's a lifeline between Saint Paul and Minneapolis, creating the Twin Cities and the metropolitan region. And we're here today to work together and to show people that we're going to put the needs of the community first before politics.

But by planning for the needs of the community, it means not doing what, as Congressman Ellison said, cuts red tape. But it also needs to cut to what the public is going to need in the future 20, 30 years from now. So all options need to be on the table so that we make sure when we rebuild this bridge, we build a bridge that keeps Saint Paul, Minneapolis, the East Metro, and the West Metro connected and keeps this part of the Twin Cities, which is viable to our economy, vibrant and moving forward into the future.

[AUDIO OUT]

As a community, we are together working forward for a brighter future as a nation. And I'm so proud to be here with all the federal employees who have come to help the local employees here. And I want to thank them so much for being here. Thank you.

JOHN KLINE: Thank you. I just want to take a second. I'm John Kline from the second district. This bridge collapse occurred in Minneapolis, but it affected all of us and certainly those of us who live south of the Cities. It's an important connection as we move north into the Cities and north of the Cities. And so I want to add my voice to those of my colleagues here to say that we want to rebuild this bridge.

And actually, we're building it new. It's not rebuilding the old bridge. We want to build it fast. We want to build it strong, and we want to build it right. And while that's going on, of course, our hearts and our prayers are still going to the victims.

We've had two fatalities from the second district, and of course, our hearts go to them. But I want to thank the folks from Secretary Peters and the federal administration offices, as well as, of course, the local first responders here. Everyone has pitched in, and I hope that we can continue to pitch in as we go forward and build a new, modern, better bridge. Thank you.

MARY PETERS: Mr. Mayor.

RT RYBAK: Thanks. In this past week filled with tragedy, Minnesota showed the world that when we face a crisis, we come together. And that's what the political leadership of [AUDIO OUT] is doing right now. All of us moving in a single direction to make sure this bridge that is now down and separating us comes back to reconnect us in a way that has dignity and respect for those who lost their lives here.

This will be a tough task because there are very difficult issues that we're going to have to decide in a very short period of time. We believe we can do that. We believe we can build this expeditiously, and we believe we can do it right if we all stay together.

It's really moving to me to see our senators working together, our congressional delegation, our county represented by Commissioner Gail Dorfman here today, our state, with our federal officials. Minnesota is a remarkable place. And when all Minnesotans move in one direction, we can do great things. I think one of the things that we also have to recognize is that this is also happening in a period of time in which there's tremendous tragedy on a human scale.

And I hope we all continue to show the respect that the people who are going through this deserve. They have wanted me to communicate in the conversations I've had with those who have either lost loved ones or who have-- are wrestling with uncertainty that they deeply respect the fact that people have looked at this as an opportunity to come together. And they want us to continue to do that. And I think the one way that we can make sense out of all of this terrible, terrible tragedy that we've seen here is that for us to come through with these decisions in a way that is united and shows dignity.

So I'm committed to doing that, and I'm quite moved by the show of support from all the people around Minnesota and the political leadership who recognize that this spot on the freeway system impacts really everyone in the state. Thank you.

- Thanks, Mayor.

- I'm sorry.

- Mayor.

- Excuse me, Secretary. I'm sorry.

MARY PETERS: No, no, no,

RT RYBAK: I don't mean to push her away from the microphone, but I forgot to say what a phenomenal partner Secretary Peters has been to us. She--

[APPLAUSE]

Deserves-- she was in our community before this happened, meeting with the governor and I as we were talking about the ballpark area. Before that, I was in Washington lobbying. When the president told us that she would be leading us, we were very, very excited.

And I just want to-- for-- on behalf of everyone in Minnesota to tell you that you are a person who stepped up. And Thank you so much. I'm sorry--

MARY PETERS: Thank you so much.

RT RYBAK: To shove you from the microphone.

MARY PETERS: No, no, you didn't shove me from the--

[AUDIO OUT]

[APPLAUSE]

So it's a very difficult time for this community, important to these families. And as the mayor said, let's show them all of our respect and show the emergency responders all of our gratitude for the very, very tough work you're doing. We'd be pleased to take questions.

REPORTER: Secretary Peters, can you clarify whether this is, in essence, kind of a $50 million advance on the $250?

MARY PETERS: That's correct. It is a $50 million advance on the $250. As the governor said, we didn't want to make the community wait until that process moved forward but to give them access to it now.

REPORTER: Secretary Peters, did you say what the money can be used for?

MARY PETERS: Money can be used for any of the emergency response capabilities-- I'm sorry, the emergency recovery capabilities-- removing the debris, preparing the area for the eventual reconstruction of the bridge, temporary traffic routing such as being done on some of the freeways here.

REPORTER: How badly is that $50 million needed?

MARY PETERS: I'm so sorry.

TIM PAWLENTY: Well, Eric, in terms of the response and the recovery, there are extraordinary costs related to the items that the Secretary. Just mentioned. But you can see all around you, the EMTs, law enforcement, the county, state officials have responded in extraordinary ways, emergency ways. And of course, the debris removal and the recovery efforts is going to involve extraordinary efforts and costs.

And so this advance of $50 million, to the extent it's eligible, will help address and mitigate those costs. And it's very helpful and very appreciated, particularly being able to get it advanced. So again, Madam Secretary, thank you.

MARY PETERS: Thank you.

REPORTER: You talk about building the bridge quickly. I think the goal was to get it done by the end of next year. How close are you to picking a design firm? Have you seen any preliminary sketches? How is that [INAUDIBLE]?

MARY PETERS: Governor, why don't you take that?

TIM PAWLENTY: Sure. The state is in the position of leading those efforts, but we have to do that in concert and want to do that in concert with the community of Minneapolis, the city of Minneapolis, the region, and the state as a whole. This is a bridge that goes through Minneapolis and is important to Minneapolis but is also an incredibly important artery for the whole region and the whole state. So we're working very closely with Mayor Rybak and the Congressional delegation and others.

We have had some preliminary meetings with contractors about just getting-- see who would have the credentials, the experience, the background to undertake a project of this cost and magnitude. But in terms of the city's input and some of the issues that are concerned, we're still working through that. And we won't put it out for bids until we have some consensus about what it's going to look like, and we're still working through that.

But we want to move as quickly as possible but not at the expense of safety or not at the expense of making sure we haven't received proper input from people.

REPORTER: Have you narrowed down to a handful of contractors?

TIM PAWLENTY: In terms of the contractors who might do the project, we started to do a request for qualifications or credentials. There appears to be about five, and they were listed in a media account, I think, yesterday or today.

REPORTER: Governor, what other safeguards in the design build system for ensuring safety?

TIM PAWLENTY: Yes, well, I should also note, Eric, of course, the technology and the bridge standards of today are dramatically different than in the 1960s when this bridge was built. So no one today would build a bridge like this one was built in the 1960s. It's an outdated, obsolete design in terms of the building and construction of today.

[AUDIO OUT]

I'll let the Secretary address that, but I think that will be funneled through MnDOT and the emergency management structure. But, Secretary, you can speak to that.

MARY PETERS: Governor, thank you. That money will be made available to MnDOT. And then MnDOT can bill against that money for any expenses that they have incurred or will incur.

RICHARD STICKLER: The miners that are trapped.

SPEAKER 1: --is starting right now.

RICHARD STICKLER: And we're here to give you an update this morning on the rescue activity.

SPEAKER 2: Can you turn this up?

RICHARD STICKLER: The 8 and 5/8 inch bore hole that we've been working on is down 1,262 feet.

SPEAKER 1: 8 inch down-- 8 inch bore hole down 1,262 feet.

RICHARD STICKLER: The underground cleanup and rehabilitation of number one entry has advanced approximately 400 feet.

SPEAKER 1: They've advanced 400 feet underground.

RICHARD STICKLER: Those efforts continue. People are working very hard around the clock with a great deal of enthusiasm and hope and faith. The workers' attitude is tremendous. We have all the personnel, equipment, the resources here that we can possibly think of in order to rescue these miners.

Now, last night, we reported to you that the 2.5 inch drill hole holed into the-- drilled into the mine at approximately 10:00 PM and that we had dropped a microphone down the inside of that drill steel down into the mine. The drill steel has a bit on the bottom of it that has holes that's used for blowing air. So there's communication between the mine environment and the inside of the drill steel.

We monitored that microphone. And up at 11 o'clock, we reported that we had no response for many miners underground. During that time, we withdrew the miners from underground. We did that before the drill steel drilled into the mine for safety reasons. And we also shut the 8 and 5/8 inch drill steel down to have a quiet period so that we could monitor for any sounds coming from the underground operations.

We continued to draw air analysis from that bore hole. And we took a total of three samples starting at 12:10 AM with a reading of 20.5% oxygen. At 1:15 AM, 20.6% oxygen. At 1:25 AM, we had 20.6% oxygen. So we had three air analysis that confirmed that we had approximately 20.5% oxygen.

After that, we saw a change in the air quality readings, which gives us some indication that perhaps this 2.5 inch hole has drifted. On each side of the area where the miners were working, there are abandoned workings that have been sealed. We reported previously to you that we breached one of the seals on the right side.

We sent a rescue team in, and we took air analysis. And the readings that we saw in this sealed area are similar to the readings that we started getting at 1:45 AM. At 1:45 AM, we had an oxygen reading of 7.2% oxygen. At 1:55 AM, we had 7.6% oxygen. At 2:10 AM, we had 7.8% oxygen. So we had three readings that confirmed the oxygen level.

We had zero methane, virtually zero. It was 0.01% methane. And we had 180 parts per million carbon monoxide. These readings are very similar to what we saw in the sealed area on the right hand side of the active area where the miners were working. So we have some indication that perhaps this drill hole has drifted and gone into the sealed area.

So we made the decision to withdraw the microphone out of the bore hole and to drop a survey instrument down that will survey this bore hole so that we will know the location of the bottom of the bore hole. That will tell us whether or not the bore hole drilled into the active area of the mine or the sealed area of the mine. That is currently ongoing.

So when we get that information, as we collect additional information [AUDIO OUT] it'll give us a better idea on the next step to take. Now, there's no reason to lose hope. There are certainly possibilities that these miners are still alive because we don't know for sure where this bore hole drilled in. We're trying to confirm that.

We don't know a lot of things about the underground environment. We know that when the drill steel drilled into the mine, there was a void. It appeared that it went through some material and went down onto the ground at the bottom.

Now, there was also change in what we were doing underground during that time that we were taking the samples. Originally, the drill steel was down in the loose rubble, the material. We decided to pull the drill steel up about 4 feet from the bottom during the sampling process. And that tends to be consistent with the change in the numbers, but that doesn't tell us anything definite, either.

So at this point, the thing to do is to continue on our plan, maintain our hope. The family members, while we're all disappointed by the information-- we would have hoped to have had more positive information at this time-- their spirits are still up. They still have hope. I think we all should continue to have hope.

We have no indication that there's any indication that we should not have hope. So we're going to continue to work as hard as we can, as fast as we can, doing everything we can to achieve our goal, and that is to rescue the miners. In the meantime, we're also doing everything we can to ensure the safety of the rescue workers. And we're working very hard to be responsive to the needs of the families to provide support for them.

So those are our primary goals that we're focused on at this time. Did you have any comments, Rob?

ROB MOORE: I'll just make a few quick comments. I think the Assistant Secretary Stickler did just provide you with an excellent report as to the status of the rescue efforts. Those efforts, obviously, are going to continue. And I can assure you that the individuals involved, whether it be underground, on the surface, those that are supporting the people that are physically here on the property, everyone is giving it their all. And their attitudes are absolutely amazing.

We met with the workers last night when we pulled them out of the mine, and the men and the women that are underground working are incredibly enthusiastic. They're hustling like you've never seen anybody hustle, and they are anxious and eager to get to their fellow miners and determine their well-being. Again, Assistant Secretary Stickler did a great job of explaining where we're at right now.

The 8 and 5/8 inch hole is moving and progressing fairly well, and with that hole, we should have some additional flexibility relative to the types of communication devices that we can utilize to assess the status of the well-being of the miners or the conditions in the cavity that we penetrate. And again, with the directional drilling device that we're using on this hole, it gives us a much better probability, much higher probability, of hitting exactly where we have targeted to hit.

And with that, I'm sure you can understand and appreciate that there's a lot going on today. We have a tremendous amount of work to do here this morning. There's a tremendous amount of activity on top of the mountain and underground, and we need to get back to work and do our jobs here.

REPORTER: Gentlemen, just to ask you. So it appears there's a possibility you're saying that the microphone went down into the place where the miners would not be?

RICHARD STICKLER: That's exactly correct. And that's why we're doing the survey inside the drill steel to determine where the bottom of that hole cut into the mine.

REPORTER: What is the survey device?

RICHARD STICKLER: It's a survey instrument.

REPORTER: What do you mean?

RICHARD STICKLER: That's-- I'm sorry, I don't have that kind of detail at this time. What it does is go down, and every so often, it takes coordinates, and those coordinates then are plotted. And the engineers can determine exactly where that hole is located from top to bottom.

REPORTER: Can you explain why the great difference in the oxygen readings the first time and the subsequent time?

RICHARD STICKLER: I can't explain exactly why. It could have had something to do with pulling the drill steel off of the bottom. It could have been leakage and dilution in the sampling process. There are a number of possibilities for which we don't have answers at this time.

We had three samples that gave the same results. So we had confirmation, and that's the best information.

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

REPORTER: At 7 point--

RICHARD STICKLER: Well, normal oxygen is 21%, roughly. Once you get down to 15%, you start having effects and at 7.5% would not support life very long.

REPORTER: What causes the bore hole to drift?

RICHARD STICKLER: What causes the bore hole to drift? Well, as you're going down through the strata, you're going through different layers of material. And also, the geology is not consistent. And that plus the pressure of pushing down will cause the drill steel to want to bend.

The advantage of the 2.5 inch hole was it was fast. The disadvantage is it's not as accurate. We can't steer it. We don't have good control over it.

As Rob mentioned, the 8 and 5/8 inch hole has a shoe on the down hole motor. They can steer it and guide it. So we're looking for much better accuracy. And when that hole goes in, then I think we'll be able to get more information and know more about what the situation is here.

REPORTER: Barring any glitches on the big drill, what's the soonest that it would punch through?

ROB MOORE: I don't want to speculate as to when it might punch through.

REPORTER: What's the rate?

ROB MOORE: We're moving at a better rate than what we were moving yesterday. And you've got to-- when you're talking about rates, you have to factor in, again, the mountain. You have to factor in breakdowns, and I'm not going to at this time speculate.

I will tell you that we're making good progress. As Assistant Secretary reported, we're plus 1,200 feet right now, and we're making good progress.

REPORTER: Do you believe that you're going to hit the target with the big drill, though? I mean, that's not really a question.

ROB MOORE: We have a better chance of hitting our target with the directional drill. That's correct.

REPORTER: Clarify with the earlier oxygen readings, with the higher oxygen readings, did you all have some faith that you had actually hit a cavity with those earlier readings and then the drill began to drift?

RICHARD STICKLER: The drill would not drift after it cut into the mine. The drifting would have occurred during the drilling process. And certainly, when we had over 20% oxygen, that was a positive sign.

REPORTER: Is it possible that there would be different oxygen levels at different-- you're saying at different heights inside the cavity that there are different readings.

RICHARD STICKLER: Well, there--

REPORTER: Possible they were more at the bottom.

RICHARD STICKLER: Depending on the specific gravity of the-- whether the oxygen or the other gases, they will layer. But the distance of about four feet, I can't see any reason for variation in that.

ROB MOORE: Ladies and gentlemen, we really have a lot of work to do here today. We've got a lot of critical decisions to make. I need to get back up on the hill. Thank you.