Legislation Introduced to Recognize Economic Impacts of Recreational Boating

Representatives John Katko (R-NY) and Anthony Brindisi (D-NY) have introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure critical water infrastructure projects are funded on an equitable, sustainable and needs based system. The Safer Harbors for Our Recreation Economy Act (SHORE Act) would require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to account for recreation-based economic impacts in cost-benefit analysis procedures used to prioritize funding for harbor maintenance, intracoastal and inland waterways projects.

The SHORE Act would do the following to help ensure the maintenance needs of recreation-based harbors and waterways:

• Directing the Corps and OMB to account for recreation-based considerations in cost-benefit analysis procedures for harbor maintenance, intracoastal and inland waterways projects. This ensures the economic benefits of recreation are considered as part of the project authorization process.
• Improve transparency and consistency in how recreation is accounted in project prioritization procedures by requiring the Corps and OMB to report to Congress on how they have executed provisions of the SHORE Act and issue recommendations for establishing a uniform calculation for recreation-based economic benefits.