Ask AI
Bill114th CongressFiled Aug 4, 2015Commerce
S. 1935

Waterfront Community Revitalization and Resiliency Act of 2015

Bill journey · stage 1 of 5

Just introduced

Filed
Comm.
Floor
Both
Law

What it doesSummary passed senate amended (Jul 14, 2016)

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on June 8, 2016. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Waterfront Community Revitalization and Resiliency Act of 2015

(Sec. 4) This bill requires the Department of Commerce to designate as a resilient waterfront community a unit of local government or Indian tribe that meets specified criteria and is:

  • bound in part by the Great Lakes or the ocean, or bordered or traversed by a riverfront or an inland lake;
  • self-nominated as a resilient waterfront community; and
  • designated as one by Commerce on the basis of a community-developed plan.

In making such a designation for inland lake and riverfront communities, Commerce must work with the Environmental Protection Agency and the heads of other federal agencies as necessary.

A resilient waterfront community plan is a community-driven vision and plan developed:

  • voluntarily at the discretion of the community to respond to local needs or take advantage of new water-oriented opportunities;
  • with the leadership of the relevant governmental entity or Indian tribe and the active participation of community residents, utilities, and interested business and nongovernmental stakeholders;
  • in consideration of all applicable state and federal coastal zone management planning;
  • to address economic competitive strengths; and
  • to complement and incorporate the objectives and recommendations of regional economic plans.

A resilient waterfront community plan shall consider all, or a portion of, the waterfront area and adjacent land and water to which it is connected ecologically, economically, or through local governmental or tribal boundaries, and integrate consideration of:

  • the economic opportunities resulting from water proximity and access and the community's relationship to the water;
  • ecosystem challenges and projections, including extreme weather and water conditions;
  • infrastructure needs and opportunities to facilitate specified strategic and sustainable capital investments; and
  • such other factors that align with metrics or indicators for resiliency, considering environmental and economic changes.

After the designation of a resilient waterfront community, its plan may be effective for a 10-year period.

(Sec. 5) Commerce must: (1) develop and maintain a resilient waterfront communities network to facilitate the sharing of best practices among waterfront communities; and (2) recognize such communities formally and publicly to promote tourism, investment, or other benefits.

(Sec. 6) Commerce may use existing authority to support:

  • the development of a resilient waterfront community plan, including planning and feasibility analysis; and
  • the implementation of strategic components after the plan has been approved.

A lead nonfederal partner (a local government or Indian tribe) may contract with an eligible nonfederal implementation partner (a nonprofit organization, a public utility, a private entity, an institution of higher education, a state government, or a regional organization) for implementation activities, such as site preparation, environmental review, acquisition of easements or land for uses for green infrastructure, construction of public waterfront or boating amenities and public spaces, and infrastructure upgrades to improve coastal resiliency.

In developing a plan, a resilient waterfront community, among other eligible planning activities, may:

  • conduct community visioning and outreach; and
  • collaborate across local agencies and work with regional, state, and federal agencies to identify, understand, and develop responses to changing ecosystem and economic circumstances.

Assistance may be furnished to:

  • initiate implementation of a resilient waterfront community plan and facilitate high-quality development, including leveraging local and private sector investment; and
  • address strategic community priorities identified in the plan.

The lead nonfederal partner shall ensure that assistance and resources received by it to advance its resilient waterfront community plan and for related activities are used for the purposes of any initiative advanced by Commerce to promote waterfront community revitalization and resiliency.

A resilient waterfront community that receives assistance under this bill shall furnish nonfederal funds from entities eligible to be nonfederal implementation partners toward the completion of planning or implementation activities.

(Sec. 7) At regular intervals Commerce must give a list of resilient waterfront communities to the applicable states and the heads of national and regional offices of interested federal agencies.

(Sec. 8) Nothing in this bill may be construed as establishing new authority for any federal agency.

What just happenedJul 18, 2016

Held at the desk.

Who’s behind it

Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI](D-WI)Sponsor
4 cosponsors3 D1 I
Read on Congress.gov
4cosponsors1committees11actions1related bills13subjects
  1. Jul 18, 2016FloorH15000

    Held at the desk.

  2. Jul 18, 2016FloorH14000

    Received in the House.

  3. Jul 15, 2016Floor

    Message on Senate action sent to the House.

  4. Jul 14, 2016Floor

    Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S5117-5119; text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S5117-5118)

  5. Jul 14, 2016Floor17000

    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.(consideration: CR S5117-5119; text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S5117-5118)

  6. Jun 8, 2016Calendars

    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 508.

  7. Jun 8, 2016Committee

    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-272.

    Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  8. Jun 8, 2016Committee14000

    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-272.

    Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  9. Dec 9, 2015Committee

    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

    Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  10. Aug 4, 2015IntroReferral

    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

    Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  11. Aug 4, 2015IntroReferral10000

    Introduced in Senate

Passed Senate amendedJul 14, 201635

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on June 8, 2016. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Waterfront Community Revitalization and Resiliency Act of 2015

(Sec. 4) This bill requires the Department of Commerce to designate as a resilient waterfront community a unit of local government or Indian tribe that meets specified criteria and is:

  • bound in part by the Great Lakes or the ocean, or bordered or traversed by a riverfront or an inland lake;
  • self-nominated as a resilient waterfront community; and
  • designated as one by Commerce on the basis of a community-developed plan.

In making such a designation for inland lake and riverfront communities, Commerce must work with the Environmental Protection Agency and the heads of other federal agencies as necessary.

A resilient waterfront community plan is a community-driven vision and plan developed:

  • voluntarily at the discretion of the community to respond to local needs or take advantage of new water-oriented opportunities;
  • with the leadership of the relevant governmental entity or Indian tribe and the active participation of community residents, utilities, and interested business and nongovernmental stakeholders;
  • in consideration of all applicable state and federal coastal zone management planning;
  • to address economic competitive strengths; and
  • to complement and incorporate the objectives and recommendations of regional economic plans.

A resilient waterfront community plan shall consider all, or a portion of, the waterfront area and adjacent land and water to which it is connected ecologically, economically, or through local governmental or tribal boundaries, and integrate consideration of:

  • the economic opportunities resulting from water proximity and access and the community's relationship to the water;
  • ecosystem challenges and projections, including extreme weather and water conditions;
  • infrastructure needs and opportunities to facilitate specified strategic and sustainable capital investments; and
  • such other factors that align with metrics or indicators for resiliency, considering environmental and economic changes.

After the designation of a resilient waterfront community, its plan may be effective for a 10-year period.

(Sec. 5) Commerce must: (1) develop and maintain a resilient waterfront communities network to facilitate the sharing of best practices among waterfront communities; and (2) recognize such communities formally and publicly to promote tourism, investment, or other benefits.

(Sec. 6) Commerce may use existing authority to support:

  • the development of a resilient waterfront community plan, including planning and feasibility analysis; and
  • the implementation of strategic components after the plan has been approved.

A lead nonfederal partner (a local government or Indian tribe) may contract with an eligible nonfederal implementation partner (a nonprofit organization, a public utility, a private entity, an institution of higher education, a state government, or a regional organization) for implementation activities, such as site preparation, environmental review, acquisition of easements or land for uses for green infrastructure, construction of public waterfront or boating amenities and public spaces, and infrastructure upgrades to improve coastal resiliency.

In developing a plan, a resilient waterfront community, among other eligible planning activities, may:

  • conduct community visioning and outreach; and
  • collaborate across local agencies and work with regional, state, and federal agencies to identify, understand, and develop responses to changing ecosystem and economic circumstances.

Assistance may be furnished to:

  • initiate implementation of a resilient waterfront community plan and facilitate high-quality development, including leveraging local and private sector investment; and
  • address strategic community priorities identified in the plan.

The lead nonfederal partner shall ensure that assistance and resources received by it to advance its resilient waterfront community plan and for related activities are used for the purposes of any initiative advanced by Commerce to promote waterfront community revitalization and resiliency.

A resilient waterfront community that receives assistance under this bill shall furnish nonfederal funds from entities eligible to be nonfederal implementation partners toward the completion of planning or implementation activities.

(Sec. 7) At regular intervals Commerce must give a list of resilient waterfront communities to the applicable states and the heads of national and regional offices of interested federal agencies.

(Sec. 8) Nothing in this bill may be construed as establishing new authority for any federal agency.

Reported to Senate with amendment(s)Jun 8, 20161

Waterfront Community Revitalization and Resiliency Act of 2015

(Sec. 4) This bill requires the Department of Commerce to designate as a resilient waterfront community a unit of local government or Indian tribe that meets specified criteria and is:

  • bound in part by the Great Lakes or the ocean, or bordered or traversed by a riverfront or an inland lake;
  • self-nominated as a resilient waterfront community; and
  • designated as one by Commerce on the basis of a community-developed plan.

In making such a designation for inland lake and riverfront communities, Commerce must work with the Environmental Protection Agency and the heads of other federal agencies as necessary.

A resilient waterfront community plan is a community-driven vision and plan developed:

  • voluntarily at the discretion of the community to respond to local needs or take advantage of new water-oriented opportunities;
  • with the leadership of the relevant governmental entity or Indian tribe and the active participation of community residents, utilities, and interested business and nongovernmental stakeholders;
  • in consideration of all applicable state and federal coastal zone management planning;
  • to address economic competitive strengths; and
  • to complement and incorporate the objectives and recommendations of regional economic plans.

A resilient waterfront community plan shall consider all, or a portion of, the waterfront area and adjacent land and water to which it is connected ecologically, economically, or through local governmental or tribal boundaries, and integrate consideration of:

  • the economic opportunities resulting from water proximity and access and the community's relationship to the water;
  • ecosystem challenges and projections, including extreme weather and water conditions;
  • infrastructure needs and opportunities to facilitate specified strategic and sustainable capital investments; and
  • such other factors that align with metrics or indicators for resiliency, considering environmental and economic changes.

After the designation of a resilient waterfront community, its plan may be effective for a 10-year period.

(Sec. 5) Commerce must: (1) develop and maintain a resilient waterfront communities network to facilitate the sharing of best practices among waterfront communities, and (2) recognize such communities formally and publicly to promote tourism, investment, or other benefits.

(Sec. 6) Commerce may use existing authority to support:

  • the development of a resilient waterfront community plan, including planning and feasibility analysis; and
  • the implementation of strategic components after the plan has been approved.

A lead nonfederal partner (a local government or Indian tribe) may contract with an eligible nonfederal implementation partner (a nonprofit organization, a public utility, a private entity, an institution of higher education, a state government, or a regional organization) for implementation activities, such as site preparation, environmental review, acquisition of easements or land for uses for green infrastructure, construction of public waterfront or boating amenities and public spaces, and infrastructure upgrades to improve coastal resiliency.

In developing a plan, a resilient waterfront community, among other eligible planning activities, may:

  • conduct community visioning and outreach; and
  • collaborate across local agencies and work with regional, state, and federal agencies to identify, understand, and develop responses to changing ecosystem and economic circumstances.

Assistance may be furnished to:

  • initiate implementation of a resilient waterfront community plan and facilitate high-quality development, including leveraging local and private sector investment; and
  • address strategic community priorities identified in the plan.

The lead nonfederal partner shall ensure that assistance and resources received by it to advance its resilient waterfront community plan and for related activities are used for the purposes of any initiative advanced by Commerce to promote waterfront community revitalization and resiliency.

A resilient waterfront community that receives assistance under this bill shall furnish nonfederal funds from entities eligible to be nonfederal implementation partners toward the completion of planning or implementation activities.

(Sec. 7) At regular intervals Commerce must give a list of resilient waterfront communities to the applicable states and the heads of national and regional offices of interested federal agencies.

(Sec. 8) Nothing in this bill may be construed as establishing new authority for any federal agency.

Introduced in SenateAug 4, 2015

Waterfront Community Revitalization and Resiliency Act of 2015

This bill requires the Department of Commerce to designate as a resilient waterfront community a unit of local government or Indian tribe that meets specified criteria and is:

  • bound in part by the Great Lakes or the ocean, or bordered or traversed by a riverfront or an inland lake;
  • self-nominated as a resilient waterfront community; and
  • designated as one by Commerce on the basis of a community-developed plan.

In making such a designation and promulgating criteria and best practices, Commerce must work with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the heads of other federal agencies to provide comparable services to waterfront communities not located on Great Lakes or ocean coasts.

Commerce must: (1) develop a resilient waterfront communities network to facilitate the sharing of best practices and technical assistance among waterfront communities, and (2) recognize such communities formally and publicly to promote tourism, investment, or other benefits.

Commerce must also establish a program to provide planning and implementation grants of between $50,000 and $1 million that leverage other sources of public and private investment to assist with development of resilient waterfront community plans, including planning and feasibility analysis costs, and implementation of strategic components of an approved plan.

At regular intervals Commerce must give a list of resilient waterfront communities to the applicable states and the heads of national and regional offices of interested federal agencies.

Commerce shall give designated resilient waterfront communities preferential status in its select grant and loan programs, including those of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Economic Development Administration.

Waterfront Community Revitalization and Resiliency Act of 2015 — Informed