Protecting Our Waterfronts

Protecting Our Waterfronts

Weekly Column
by Senator Susan M. Collins

All along our nation's coasts are harbors that were once full of the sights, sounds, and smells that accompany the fishing industry. Unfortunately, a number of factors are converging to lead to the loss of our nation's vital fishing infrastructure, which is essential for the continuance of the commercial fishing industry. I have introduced legislation that will help to combat the loss of commercial access to our waterfronts and to support the fishing industry's role in our maritime heritage.

In July, I was contacted by Andy Hawke of Boothbay Harbor, a lobsterman who explained that the local lobstermen's cooperative had recently come up for sale. The local fishermen could not come up with the resources to purchase the cooperative's facilities, and thus, they were looking for federal assistance in order to keep this coastal property accessible to the commercial fishing industry. Their goal was to keep the cooperative in operation for the lobstermen of Boothbay Harbor and the "upcoming youth who will be in the lobster industry."

Unfortunately, there was little assistance that I could offer beyond identifying some grant programs that might apply. I discovered quickly that there is no targeted, federal program to help the commercial fishing industry gain or preserve access to waterfront areas. At the same time, the pressures that drive the commercial fishing industry from these vital pieces of industry infrastructure are mounting. I have introduced the Working Waterfront Preservation Act to create a matching grant program to assist our nation's commercial fishermen.

The loss of commercial waterfront access in Maine has been astonishing. Only 25 of Maine's 3,500 miles of coastline are devoted to commercial access. Portions of Maine's working waterfront are being sold weekly and converted to other uses, most often second homes and condominiums.

The reasons for the loss of Maine's working waterfront are complex. In some cases, burdensome fishing regulations have led to a decrease in landings, hindering the profitability of shore-side infrastructure. In other cases, soaring land values and rising taxes have made the current use of commercial land unprofitable. Property is being sold and quickly converted into private spaces and second homes that no longer are the center of economic activity.

Maine's lack of commercial waterfront access has prompted the formation of a "Working Waterfront Coalition." This coalition is comprised of an impressive number of industry associations, non-profit groups, and state agencies, who have come together to preserve Maine's working waterfront.

Preservation of the working waterfront is essential to protect a way of life that is unique to our coastal states and is vital to employment along the coast. Maine's Working Waterfront Coalition has identified eighteen projects that would increase Maine's available working waterfront. These eighteen projects would create or preserve more than 875 Maine jobs. All that is needed is a modest investment in Maine's working waterfront.

The loss of commercial waterfront access affects the fishing industry throughout all coastal states. On August 28, 2005, a story appeared in the Providence Journal about the fishing port of Galilee in Rhode Island. Fishermen from Galilee are getting pushed out of the waterfront as their profitability shrinks and land values soar. This article detailed plans to create more condominiums in Galilee and $2 million beach houses marketed to buyers from Connecticut and New York.

On July 26, 2005, the Los Angeles Times ran a story on the disappearance of working waterfront in Florida. In June of this year, Governor Jeb Bush signed a law aimed at protecting that state's working waterfront.

On February 20, 2005, the Seattle Times profiled the Washington town of Anacortes's struggle with development and the future of this port. In this story, the city attorney and planner said that the biggest issue facing this town is whether they can continue to have a working waterfront.

No matter the coastal state, our nation's fishermen are affected by the loss of access to commercial waterfront properties. My legislation targets this exact problem, as no federal program exists to assist states like Maine, Florida, Washington, and Alabama, which are trying to cope with the loss of this valuable infrastructure.

The Working Waterfront Preservation Act would assist by providing federal grant funding to municipal and state governments, non-profit organizations, and fishermen's cooperatives for the purchase of property or easements or for the maintenance of working waterfront facilities. The bill contains a $50 million authorization for grants that would require a 25 percent local match. Applications for grants would be considered by both the Department of Commerce and state fisheries agencies, which have the local expertise to understand the needs of each coastal state. Grant recipients would agree not to convert coastal properties to noncommercial uses, as a condition of receiving federal assistance.

This legislation also has a tax component included. When properties or easements are purchased, sellers would only be taxed on half of the gain they receive from this sale. Taxing only half of the gain on conservation sales is a proposal that has been advanced by the President in his budget proposals. This aspect of my bill would help to diminish the pressure to quickly sell waterfront property that would, most likely, be converted to non-commercial uses, and would increase the incentives for sellers to take part in this grant program. This legislation is important to our nation's commercial fisheries, which are coming under increasing pressures from many fronts. This new grant program would preserve important commercial infrastructure and promote jobs along our coast. I am committed to creating a federal mechanism to preserve working waterfronts and will pursue this legislation during the 109th Congress.

http://collins.senate.gov/high/crecord.cfm?id=246413