§1455a Coastal resource improvement program

Summary

The Secretary may give money to eligible coastal states to help protect, fix up, and improve coastal areas and city waterfronts. Eligible coastal state: a state with a management program approved under section 1455 and that the Secretary says is making satisfactory progress toward the coastal management goals in section 1452(2)(A)–(K). Urban waterfront and port: a built-up area used for homes, recreation, business, shipping, or industry. Grants can fund four main kinds of projects: saving or restoring special conservation or recreation areas (including restoring shellfish beds), redeveloping run-down urban waterfronts and ports the state has marked as areas of concern, improving public access to beaches and coastal waters, and setting up a coordinated permitting system for coastal aquaculture. Grants must be used only for these purposes and can pay for buying land, small construction projects (paths, parks, fences, historic building rehab) — but no more than 50% of a grant for construction — and for waterfront repairs (piers, shoreline safety work like bulkheads, replacing pilings), engineering plans, and education or management costs. Federal-to-state matching rules are: 4 to 1 for FY 1986; 2.3 to 1 for FY 1987; 1.5 to 1 for FY 1988; and 1 to 1 for each year after FY 1988. A state’s grants for a year cannot exceed 10% of the program’s total money for that year. With the Secretary’s OK, a state may pass part of a grant to local or regional governments or agencies but must still make sure the funds are used as intended. The Secretary must also help states find other federal technical and financial help.