Sponsors (10)
The bill invests federal resources to grow regional Blue Economy clusters, create jobs, and accelerate marine innovation and clean energy in coastal areas—but does so with new taxpayer costs and risks of uneven, regionally concentrated benefits, administrative burdens, and dependence on short‑term federal grants.
Coastal, Great Lakes, and other ocean‑dependent communities (including small businesses and local governments) gain new jobs and diversified local economies as coordinated Blue Economy development and funded clusters spur business growth and investment.
Researchers, coastal entrepreneurs, and small businesses receive coordinated support—Ocean Innovation Centers/Clusters, networks, technical assistance, and grant funding (up to $10M per cluster)—to accelerate marine technology development, commercialization, and cross‑sector innovation.
Students, job‑seekers, and underrepresented groups (including Tribal communities) gain internships, apprenticeships, and training pathways into marine industries, improving workforce opportunities and pipeline development.
Taxpayers face increased federal spending (explicit $10M/year for clusters FY2026–2030 plus additional program and coordination costs) without specified offsets.
Benefits may be unevenly distributed—Secretary discretion, concentration of grants, and preference for existing infrastructure could favor certain regions, institutions, or firms and leave other coastal or rural communities without support.
Local organizations, nonprofits, and small businesses may face administrative burdens to meet cluster designation criteria and to coordinate with multiple federal liaisons and agencies, which could limit participation by under‑resourced communities.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Creates federally designated Ocean Innovation Clusters and funds competitive grants (up to $10M each) to support regional Blue Economy collaboration, with $10M/year authorized for FY2026–FY2030.
Introduced April 28, 2025 by Chellie Pingree · Last progress April 28, 2025
Creates a federal program to designate regional Ocean Innovation Clusters that bring together businesses, universities, nonprofits, Tribal and local governments, and other partners to support equitable, sustainable growth of the Blue Economy. The Department of Commerce (with Sea Grant, NOAA, and the Economic Development Administration) will set selection criteria, assign agency liaisons to support clusters, and run a competitive grant program to help clusters become self-sustaining, with grant awards limited to $10 million each and an authorization of $10 million per year for FY2026–FY2030.