CNMI Ferry Act

House Votes

This bill would let the Northern Mariana Islands qualify for federal money to start and run basic ferry service in rural areas, by changing an existing ferry program in the infrastructure law. It expands which ferry routes can get funds to include services that ran on a regular schedule in the five years before March 1, 2020, linking at least two rural areas 50 or more sailing miles apart, and also any ferry service in the Northern Mariana Islands that is operating or being planned to run regularly. For this program, every place in the Northern Mariana Islands would count as “rural,” and the islands would be treated like a state for funding purposes, alongside other U.S. territories. The program’s rules would also be updated to include how funds are provided to states and to the Northern Mariana Islands to set up and operate eligible ferry service.

Key points:

• Who is affected: People and communities in the Northern Mariana Islands; rural areas served by ferries; ferry operators.
• What changes: Opens federal ferry funding to planned and operating routes in the Northern Mariana Islands; treats the islands as rural for this program; updates who counts as a “state” to include the islands and other territories; clarifies funding rules for states and the islands.
• When: Would take effect if passed into law.