{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-murkowski-introduce-bill-to-strengthen-maines-coastal-workforce-fisheries-and-infrastructure", "King, Murkowski Introduce Bill to Strengthen Maine\u2019s Coastal Workforce, Fisheries and Infrastructure", "2025-06-10", "2025", "2025-06", "Independent", "Senate", "ME", "Angus S. King, Jr.", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", "angusking", "https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/table", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced legislation that would lay the groundwork to boost the workforce, energy and shoreside infrastructure, food security, and economies of coastal communities in Maine and across the country. The Working Waterfronts Act, which is also co-sponsored by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), is comprised of more than a dozen provisions, would support efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change and strengthen federal conservation research projects. Included in the legislation is Senator King\u2019s Fishing Industry Credit Enhancement Act which would allow businesses that provide direct assistance to fishing operations \u2014 like gear producers or cold storage \u2014 to access loans from the Farm Credit System (FCS) that are already offered to service providers for farmers, ranchers and loggers.\n\n\u201cMaine\u2019s 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\u2019s success for generations,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cThe Working Waterfronts Act would provide Maine\u2019s 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.\u201d\n\n\u201cOne 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,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cWith 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.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe men and women who make their living in Maine\u2019s blue economy face growing challenges, including rising costs, workforce shortages, and changing ocean conditions,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThis bipartisan legislation would help address these issues by improving shoreside infrastructure, supporting the next generation of maritime workers, and investing in ocean ecosystem maintenance to ensure that Maine\u2019s coastal communities remain strong for years to come.\u201d\n\nBill Highlights:\n\nInvesting in Energy and Shoreside Infrastructure\n\nTax Credits for Marine Energy Projects supports projects that produce electricity from waves, tides, and ocean currents.\n\nFishing 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.\n\nRural 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.\n\nWorking Waterfronts Development Act establishes a grant program for infrastructure improvements for facilities benefitting commercial and recreational fishermen, mariculturists, and the boatbuilding industry.\n\nBoosting Maritime Workforce Development and Blue Economy\n\nFishing Industry Credit Enhancement Act strengthens financial support for fishery operations by expanding Farm Credit eligibility to fishing industry support businesses.\n\nMaritime 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.\n\nFishing Industry Safety, Health, and Wellness Improvement (FISH Wellness) Act expands the Coast Guard and CDC\u2019s 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.\n\nOcean 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 \u2013 including public, private, and academic \u2013 within a geographic region to promote economic growth and sustainability in the Blue Economy.\n\nSupporting Sustainable and Resilient Ecosystems\n\nCoastal 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.\n\nVegetated 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.\n\nMarine 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.\n\nSenator King is a longtime supporter of working waterfronts and small businesses. He previously introduced the bipartisan Providing Resources for Emergency Preparedness and Resilient Enterprises (PREPARE) Act to reauthorize the Small Business Administration\u2019s (SBA) Pre-Disaster Mitigation Pilot Program, which would give small businesses the opportunity to take out low-interest loans for the purpose of proactively implementing mitigation measures that protect their property from future disaster-related damage. He also led a bipartisan bill to provide working waterfronts with a 30 percent tax credit on up to $1 million in mitigation expenses, adjusted for inflation annually. In 2024, he was named a Hero of Main Street for his support of small businesses across Maine.\n\nSenator Collins has consistently fought to strengthen Maine\u2019s working waterfronts. Earlier this year, she successfully pushed the Department of Commerce to restore full funding for Maine Sea Grant, ensuring continued support for coastal research and marine industries in Maine. She secured $15 million in federal funding in the 2024 funding package to help coastal communities recover from storm damage and to launch a new grant program at the Economic Development Administration for working waterfronts. She previously introduced the bipartisan Working Waterfront Preservation Act to create a $20 million annual grant program to support working waterfronts nationwide.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T01:08:28Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-murkowski-introduce-bill-to-strengthen-maines-coastal-workforce-fisheries-and-infrastructure"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.3149950429797173, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}