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Congresswoman Chellie Pingree is planning to introduce legislation to create a federal working waterfronts task force. 

Made up of working waterfront experts and representatives from relevant federal agencies, the task force would be charged with evaluating and prioritizing policy recommendations identified in the Sustainable Working Waterfronts Toolkit.  Funded under an Economic Development Administration grant, the toolkit lists recommendations under three themes—1) the economic and cultural importance of working waterfronts, 2) the changing threats working waterfronts face; and 3) defining and measuring working waterfronts.

“Working waterfronts are critical to our coastal economies and cultures, but they face a number of threats to their future, from climate change to development. It’s time that federal agencies give close consideration to policy gaps that have already been identified so we can move this work forward,” said Pingree.  “I think many benefits would come out of the process, including making this issue a higher federal priority, creating accountability by clearly identifying what agency is responsible for each policy area; and establishing a definition of ‘working waterfronts’ to cut down on unneeded confusion.  This bill wouldn’t create any new programs, but would help focus, coordinate, and strengthen what’s already out there.”