To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to establish a working waterfronts Task Force and working waterfronts grant and loan programs, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · December 6, 2023
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
The Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act establishes federal programs to support working waterfronts, which are coastal areas used for commercial fishing, recreational boating, aquaculture, and related water-dependent businesses. The bill creates a Working Waterfronts Task Force to identify challenges facing these areas, including threats from sea level rise and changing economic conditions, and authorizes a $50 million per-year grant program for fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to help coastal states, Native American tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations acquire, improve, and preserve working waterfront properties. The legislation also establishes a $50 million annual loan fund to provide low-interest financing for working waterfront projects, with additional subsidies available for disadvantaged communities. Eligible recipients must develop approved working waterfront plans and meet matching fund requirements, though the federal government can waive these requirements for economically disadvantaged areas. The Task Force must report to Congress within 18 months, and participating federal agencies must implement recommended solutions within 30 months of the bill's enactment.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.