Keep America’s Waterfronts Working Act of 2025

Bill Number: H.R. 1808
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2025-03-03: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Last Updated: 2026-04-21T08:05:40Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The "Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act of 2025" aims to protect and enhance "working waterfronts"—coastal properties used for activities like commercial fishing, boating businesses, aquaculture, and boatbuilding—by amending the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972. It focuses on preserving public access to coastal waters, addressing threats like sea level rise and economic pressures, and supporting coastal communities through coordinated federal efforts, planning, grants, and low-interest loans.

Key Provisions

Working Waterfronts Task Force (Section 306B(a)):
Establishes a federal task force led by the Secretary of Commerce (through NOAA) to collaborate with coastal entities, users, and stakeholders.
Members include experts and representatives from agencies like NOAA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, EPA, USDA, and others, plus Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations.
Functions: Identify priorities (e.g., economic/cultural value, threats from climate change or trade), outline solutions like adaptation strategies, assign federal agency responsibilities, and recommend actions.
Requires a report to Congress within 18 months of enactment; agencies must implement recommendations within 30 months, subject to funding.

Working Waterfronts Plans (Section 306B(b)):
Covered entities (coastal states, coastal Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations) can submit plans to the Secretary for approval.
Plans must assess values and threats to waterfronts, identify at-risk or historically connected areas, prioritize preservation/expansion, ensure stakeholder involvement, and promote public access.
Approvals last 5 years; plans can integrate existing local strategies and include resilience assessments (e.g., for sea level rise).
Entities may designate "qualified holders" (local governments or nonprofits) to manage properties, with covenants ensuring perpetual use for waterfront purposes.

Working Waterfronts Grant Program (Section 306B(c)):
Competitive grants (up to $50 million annually, 2025–2029) for eligible covered entities to develop/revise plans or implement projects like acquiring waterfronts, building/repairing facilities (e.g., wharfs, ramps), or climate adaptation.
Applications evaluated on criteria like economic significance, needs, matching funds ability, and ecosystem impacts; decisions within 60 days.
Requires 25% non-federal match (waivable for disadvantaged or low-income communities); allows in-kind contributions.
Mandates public access for most projects (except unsafe industrial sites); acquisitions only from willing sellers at fair market value.
Grants can be allocated to local governments, nonprofits, or cooperatives; includes technical assistance (up to 5% of funds) and biennial reports to Congress.
Enforces "working waterfront covenants"—binding agreements preventing incompatible uses, with reversion rights for violations.

Working Waterfronts Preservation Loan Fund (Section 306C):
Capitalization grants (up to $50 million annually, 2025–2029) to eligible coastal states with approved plans to create revolving loan funds.
States must contribute 20% matching funds; funds used for low-interest loans, debt refinancing, guarantees, or bonds to support covered entities (states, tribes, locals, nonprofits) in preserving/improving waterfronts.
Loans: Market-rate interest, up to 30–40 years repayment; subsidies (e.g., forgiveness) for disadvantaged communities (12–35% of grants).
Requires annual "intended use plans" with public input; reserves 0.2% for tribes/Native Hawaiian groups; complies with prevailing wage laws (Davis-Bacon Act).
Funds are perpetual, with administrative costs capped (e.g., up to 4% of grants); states can combine with other revolving funds if tracked separately.

Definitions (Sections 306B(d) and 306C(i)):
Key terms include "working waterfront" (properties providing coastal access for fishing/business uses), "covered entity" (states, tribes, Native Hawaiian groups), "disadvantaged community" (economically/socially/environmentally challenged areas), and "working waterfront covenant" (perpetual use agreement with enforcement/sale proceeds returned to funds).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Inserts new sections 306B and 306C into the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, which previously focused on general coastal planning and management but lacked specific tools for working waterfronts.
Introduces dedicated federal funding mechanisms (grants and revolving loans) not previously available, integrating them with existing state coastal programs under section 306.
Adds requirements for climate resilience, public access, and covenants to prevent conversion of waterfronts to non-water-dependent uses (e.g., residential development), expanding beyond broad conservation to targeted economic preservation.
Mandates interagency coordination via the task force and ties funding to approved plans, creating new oversight and reporting obligations.

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: NOAA leads implementation, with increased coordination among federal agencies (e.g., EPA for environmental reviews, USDA for economic support); requires new administrative processes, reporting, and up to 5% of funds for overhead/technical aid. States gain revolving funds but must manage compliance (e.g., wage laws, public input).
Citizens and Communities: Enhances economic stability for coastal residents by preserving jobs in fishing/aquaculture; improves public access to waters for recreation; supports resilience against climate threats, benefiting vulnerable/disadvantaged areas with subsidies and waived matches.
International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it could indirectly strengthen U.S. coastal economies tied to global trade (e.g., fisheries), without addressing foreign policy.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Coastal States and Local Governments: Primary recipients of grants/loans; responsible for plans, implementation, and enforcement.
Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian Organizations: Explicitly included as covered entities, with reserved funding and cultural considerations.
Nonprofits and Qualified Holders: Can hold properties, receive allocations, and enforce covenants.
Coastal Users and Businesses: Fishermen, boatbuilders, aquaculture operators benefit from preserved access and facilities; communities gain from economic/cultural protections.
Federal Agencies: NOAA, EPA, Fish and Wildlife Service, etc., involved in task force, reviews, and technical support.
General Public: Improved access and resilience in coastal areas, especially in high-threat zones.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Enforces covenants as recordable agreements with reversion rights, potentially leading to property disputes resolved via hearings; requires fair market acquisitions to avoid eminent domain issues. Ties to Davis-Bacon Act ensures labor protections on construction. Biennial reports promote transparency and accountability.
Constitutional: Supports property rights by limiting conversions and requiring willing sellers; aligns with federal trust responsibilities to tribes via inclusion and reserved funds. No apparent First Amendment or equal protection concerns, as it emphasizes equitable, stakeholder-driven processes.
Political: Bipartisan sponsorship highlights coastal economic priorities; authorizes $100 million total (grants + loans) over 5 years, subject to appropriations, which could spark debates on federal spending vs. state autonomy. Promotes environmental justice by prioritizing disadvantaged communities, potentially influencing future climate policy.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]

Cosponsors (20)

Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1], Rep. Golden, Jared F. [D-ME-2], Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50], Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24], Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11], Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2], Rep. Amo, Gabe [D-RI-1], Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4], Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6], Del. Moylan, James C. [R-GU-At Large], Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19], Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2]

Recent Actions

2025-03-03: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
2025-03-03: Introduced in House
2025-03-03: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

Keep America’s Waterfronts Working Act of 2025 — issued 2025-03-03 — PDF (39 pages)