Murkowski, King Reintroduce Legislation to Help Coastal Workforce, Fisheries, and Infrastructure
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Angus King (I-ME), reintroduced the Working Waterfronts Act, legislation which includes more than a dozen provisions aimed at boosting the workforce, energy and shoreside infrastructure, food security, and economies of coastal communities in Alaska and across the country. The bill will also support efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change on coastal communities and strengthen federal conservation research projects.
In October 2022, Senator Murkowski began soliciting feedback from Alaskans to help draft the Working Waterfronts legislation. After a two-year period of close collaboration with stakeholders and colleagues in the Senate, she introduced the legislation for the first time in February of 2024.
“One of my priorities this Congress was reintroducing the Working Waterfronts Act, a comprehensive and collective effort to harness the potential of the blue economy for Alaska's coastal communities,” said Senator Murkowski. “With 66,000 miles of coastline, it is vital Alaska strengthens our shoreside infrastructure and supports workforce development to ensure the sustainability and growth of our fisheries, tourism, and mariculture sectors. This legislation will provide essential resources for alternative energy initiatives, improve community processing facilities, and promote safety and wellness in the maritime workforce. Together, we can build a resilient future for our coastal communities while addressing climate change and preserving our precious marine ecosystems.”
“Maine’s coastal communities are changing. From a warming climate to an evolving economy, the Gulf of Maine faces both historic opportunities and challenges that will define our state’s success for generations,” said Senator King. “The Working Waterfronts Act would provide Maine’s working waterfronts up and down the coast with the necessary financial, energy and infrastructure resources to adapt to the rapidly shifting dynamics of natural disasters affecting economic and tourism operations. It would also help support the necessary workforce to sustain our coastal businesses. Thanks to my colleagues for working with me to ensure our waterfronts have the necessary tools and resources to thrive for years to come.”
“The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) thanks Senator Murkowski for her continued efforts to support Alaska’s commercial fishing industry, which provides tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic impact across the state. The Working Waterfronts Act would make impactful changes that are needed now, such as expanding access for fishermen and processors to USDA loans, grants for improving waterfront infrastructure that benefit commercial fishermen, and creating a new program to improve maritime workforce development. These changes, along with many others in the Act, provide needed help the Alaska seafood industry, a critical pillar of Alaska’s economy,” said Greg Smith, Communications Director at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI).
"Senator Murkowski’s Working Waterfronts Act highlights the key priorities vital to the future of Alaska’s seafood industry. From modernizing infrastructure to building a resilient workforce and supporting innovation, this bill addresses the real challenges facing our coastal communities. We’re proud to support this effort and stand with Senator Murkowski in securing a strong future for Alaska’s working waterfronts,” said Kristy Clement, CEO of Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation.
“Senator Murkowski’s Working Waterfronts Act is a comprehensive bill that invests in the modernization of our vital working waterfronts and the resiliency and success of our fishing and seafood industries,” said Robert Vandermark, executive director of the Marine Fish Conservation Network. “This bill champions crucial improvements to shoreside facilities and infrastructure that support thriving coastal economies and promotes the development of a stronger future workforce to ensure American fishing traditions can continue for generations. This legislation also supports research and stewardship of economically important ocean ecosystems and fisheries to help them endure in a changing climate. The Network supports the Working Waterfronts Act and thanks Senator Murkowski for listening to the needs of our fishing communities and providing a foresighted path to support their businesses and ways of life.”
“The seafood industry has always been a critical part of the Blue Economy, even before the phrase was coined. Alaska’s seafood industry produces an economic impact of $15 billion in the U.S. annually. Senator Murkowski’s wholistic approach to a thriving waterfront is visionary. The Working Waterfront Act supports and expands access to critical infrastructure and resources upon which the seafood industry relies. Specific to seafood harvesting and processing, the Working Waterfront Act incentives co-investment by providing access to USDA loan programs which will help American fishermen and processors compete with other countries - an excellent example of good domestic economic policy,” Julie Decker, President, Pacific Seafood Processors Association.
Bill Highlights:
Investing in Energy and Shoreside Infrastructure
- Tax Credits for Marine Energy Projects supports projects that produce electricity from waves, tides, and ocean currents.
- Fishing Vessel Alternative Fuels Pilot Program provides resources to help transition fishing vessels from diesel to alternative fuel sources such as electric or hybrid, and funds research and development of alternative fuel technologies for fishing vessels.
- Rural Coastal Community Processing and Cold Storage Grant increases support for community infrastructure such as cold storage, cooperative processing facilities, and mariculture/seaweed processing facilities by establishing a competitive grant program through the Department of Commerce for rural and small-scale projects.
- Working Waterfronts Development Act establishes a grant program for infrastructure improvements for facilities benefitting commercial and recreational fishermen, mariculturists, and the boatbuilding industry.
Boosting Maritime Workforce Development and Blue Economy
- Maritime Workforce Grant Program establishes a Maritime Workforce Grant Program, directing the Maritime Administrator to award competitive grants supporting entities engaged in recruiting, educating, or training the maritime workforce.
- Fishing Industry Safety, Health, and Wellness Improvement (FISH Wellness) Act expands the Coast Guard and CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fishing Safety Research and Training (FRST) Grant Program to include projects supporting behavioral health in addition to the projects currently supported dedicated to occupational safety research and training.
- Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation Act establishes at least one ocean innovation cluster in each of the five domestic NOAA Fisheries regions, as well as the Great Lakes and Gulf of Mexico regions. The ocean cluster model fosters collaboration between different sectors – including public, private, and academic – within a geographic region to promote economic growth and sustainability in the Blue Economy.
Supporting Sustainable and Resilient Ecosystems
- Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act enhances collaboration on ocean acidification research and monitoring through ongoing mechanisms for stakeholder engagement on necessary research and monitoring. This provision would also establish two Advisory Board seats for representatives from Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, Tribal organizations, and Tribal consortia affected by ocean acidification and coastal acidification.
- Vegetated Coastal Ecosystem Inventory establishes an interagency working group for the creation and maintenance of a comprehensive national map and inventory detailing vegetated coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems. This inventory encompasses habitat types, species, ecosystem conditions, ownership, protected status, size, salinity and tidal boundaries, carbon sequestration potential, and impacts of climate change.
- Marine Invasive Species Research and Monitoring provides resources and tools to mitigate the impact of invasive species and help limit their spread by authorizing research and monitoring grants for local, Tribal, and regional marine invasive prevention work. This includes training, outreach, and equipment for early detection and response to invasions.
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