The WATERWAYS Act establishes a federal task force focused on expanding freight transportation and economic development along the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela River corridors. The task force will include representatives from multiple federal agencies such as the Department of Transportation, Army Corps of Engineers, and Department of Commerce, alongside state and local stakeholders from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee. The legislation aims to promote inland waterway shipping as an alternative to trucks and trains, citing its safety, fuel efficiency, and environmental benefits, with particular emphasis on supporting coal communities and regions impacted by deindustrialization. The task force will study waterway improvements, identify critical projects for investment, coordinate funding opportunities, and submit annual reports on its progress and recommendations. Congress has authorized $5 million per year for the task force's operations from fiscal year 2024 through 2034.