Working waterfront bill advances through Congress

Photo / Laurie Schreiber U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree’s bill to preserve working waterfronts won key committee approval and is now expected to go to the full House for a vote. Thousands of Mainers make a living from marine-related industries like fishing.

Write a Comment

By Staff

Congressional legislation that would protect working waterfronts in Maine and throughout the country got the endorsement Wednesday of the House Natural Resources Committee on a 22-13 bipartisan vote.

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine 1st District, introduced the bill, HR 3596, which would provide $24 million in grants and loans to help coastal communities protect jobs, commercial activities and public access to America’s waterfronts.

“More than 30,000 Mainers make their living from marine-related industries, which are an iconic part of our state’s character,” Pingree said in a news release. “However, working waterfronts are extremely vulnerable to development and to climate change. This legislation gives states tools to protect working parts of the coast, preserving our economies and our waters in the same go.”

Water-dependent commercial activities support thousands of Maine jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity. But due to development pressures, working waterfronts have been reduced to just 20 miles of Maine’s 5,000-mile coastline, according to the release.

“Working waterfronts are an integral part of the soul and character of the nation's coasts,” said Natalie Springuel, a Maine Sea Grant marine extension associate based at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor.

“In Maine, voters approved a visionary grant program to start protecting working waterfronts because residents and industry value these places and understand their critical role in the economy and culture of the state.”

Springuel credited Pingree for taking the approach to the national level, giving states, the federal government and stakeholders the opportunity to work together to identify the highest priority waterfront properties for industry.

Monique Coombs, director of marine programs with the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association in Brunswick, added: “The working waterfront is an anchor for coastal communities throughout the country but especially here in Maine. They provide a space for commonality, work, and human connection and are the gateway to the healthy sustainable seafood Maine and other American fishermen harvest.

"It is imperative that we invest in this essential infrastructure to support local food systems, creates good jobs, and protects future opportunities in the blue economy.”

The bill is expected to head next to the House floor for a full vote.