What Happened?
Cities across the country are optimizing grant funding to build, repair and maintain docks to sustain water-based economic growth and activity. These grants are made available through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Boating Infrastructure Grant program
Port Angeles
In Washington state, the city of Port Angeles received a $269,000 federal grant to help replace the moorage floats at the local City Pier. The movable docks provide seasonal moorage for local mariners, tourists and tall ships that visit Port Angeles, Peninsula Daily reported.
To acquire the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Boating Infrastructure Grant, Port Angeles had to put up a $96,000 match derived from real estate excise taxes. The grant will be used to replace two 40-foot ramps and three 80-foot ramps to house at least 16 vessels, Peninsula Daily reported.
Tuckerton
When Superstorm Sandy hit New Jersey, a stationary dock in Tuckerton was greatly damaged and put out of commission. The New Jersey Department of Transportation has allocated the Sheltered Cove Marina in Tuckerton with a federal grant worth $113,253 to build a series of floating docks that will accommodate up to 40 transient recreational boaters, The Sand Paper reported.
The series of floating docks replacing the damaged stationary dock allow boaters to pull into the slip and tie up to the finger dock. Boaters will not have to go on the bow or stern lines to accommodate the tide because everything is floating together, The Sand Paper reported.
Beaufort
The Beaufort Downtown Marina in South Carolina has also received a USWFS Boating Infrastructure grant to pay for the building of a transient day dock. The $168,000 in funding will be used to build a 200-foot dock that will comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act to accommodate all types passengers, Island Packet reported.
The new dock will make downtown more accessible to local residents and visitors via boat. The dock project is estimated to cost $500,000, and the city is allocating $300,000 toward construction. The Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce has agreed to spend the remaining $22,368 to market the dock, Island Packet reported.
USFWS National Boating Infrastructure Grant
These grants are made available through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Boating Infrastructure Grant program that is funded through excise and other taxes on certain fishing and boating equipment. The federal grant program works with partners at the local level to improve recreational boating and fishing opportunities, which directly boost economic growth.
The goal of the grant program is to aid states and cities in constructing, renovating and maintaining tie-up facilities that support transient boaters in vessels 26 feet or longer. The grants can also be used to distribute information and educational materials about recent dock projects.
The Boating Infrastructure Grant program is divided into two tiers:
- Tier One: Non-competitive Applicants may receive up to $100,000 annually
- Tier Two: Nationally competitive Proposals are reviewed and ranked by national panel to determine grant amount
The competitive grants can total up to 75 percent of the project costs. It is encouraged that applicants provide more than the minimum cost share required as the matching funds are considered when ranking submissions.
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