The Working Waterfronts Act of 2025 proposes support for coastal and maritime businesses, workers, and communities. It would create a tax credit worth 30 percent of the cost of certain hydroelectric improvements, including fish passage and water-quality work. It would also offer loans for fishing vessels that use alternative fuels and for related research and shore facilities.
The bill would expand eligibility for some farm and rural business loans to fishing and fish-processing businesses. It would provide grants for seafood processing, cold storage, waterfront access, maritime job training, and ocean-related innovation. It would also fund research and mapping of coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems, improve coordination on ocean acidification, and revise grants for aquatic invasive species work.
Fishing and seafood businesses, coastal communities, maritime workers, training programs, and eligible research and community groups could apply for certain loans or grants if the bill becomes law. Funding would be competitive, and eligibility rules would apply. The bill does not guarantee that any specific applicant would receive support.
The bill authorizes funding for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including $20 million per year for alternative-fuel fishing vessel loans and research, $10 million per year for rural processing grants, $20 million per year for waterfront grants, $25 million per year for maritime workforce grants, and $10 million per year for ocean innovation grants. It also authorizes $3 million per year for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 for cold-climate coastal projects, and $5 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 for aquatic invasive species work. It authorizes $6 million for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 for each of two fishing-vessel safety grant programs. The bill also proposes a 30 percent tax credit for qualifying hydroelectric improvements. No total cost estimate is provided in the text.
The bill's stated purpose is to support rural coastal and maritime economic development. Its provisions seek to support seafood businesses, waterfront access, maritime jobs, ocean innovation, and coastal ecosystems. No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.