HB 1794 — An Act providing for the Waterfront Redevelopment Grant Program; establishing the Waterfront Redevelopment Fund; and imposing powers and duties on the Department of Community and Economic Development.

PRINTER'S NO.    2207

                   THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                       HOUSE BILL
                       No. 1794
                                              Session of
                                                2025

     INTRODUCED BY GALLAGHER, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, HILL-EVANS, GIRAL,
        FREEMAN, PIELLI, KENYATTA, POWELL, PROKOPIAK, SANCHEZ,
        PARKER, STEELE, SCHLOSSBERG, HOHENSTEIN, NEILSON, DONAHUE,
        T. DAVIS, GREEN, CIRESI AND K.HARRIS, AUGUST 10, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM, RECREATION AND ECONOMIC
        DEVELOPMENT, AUGUST 11, 2025


                                   AN ACT
 1   Providing for the Waterfront Redevelopment Grant Program;
 2      establishing the Waterfront Redevelopment Fund; and imposing
 3      powers and duties on the Department of Community and Economic
 4      Development.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7   Section 1.   Short title.
 8      This act shall be known and may be cited as the Waterfront
 9   Redevelopment Grant Program Act.
10   Section 2.   Legislative intent.
11      The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
12          (1)   The primary objectives of this act are to revitalize
13      coastal waters and waterfronts across this Commonwealth,
14      create new jobs and stimulate private investment, increase
15      property values and provide waterfront access for the public.
16          (2)   The establishment of a grant program to provide
17      money for waterfront redevelopment across this Commonwealth
 1      would protect and enhance the health and well-being of our
 2      Commonwealth's environment.
 3            (3)   A vibrant and healthy environment, especially along
 4      the coastal waters and waterfronts of this Commonwealth,
 5      would improve the overall health and well-being of citizens
 6      throughout this Commonwealth.
 7   Section 3.     Definitions.
 8      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
 9   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
10   context clearly indicates otherwise:
11      "Applicant."     Any of the following seeking a grant under the
12   program:
13            (1)   A municipal or county government or other political
14      subdivision.
15            (2)   An industrial or economic development or
16      redevelopment authority or entity.
17      "Department."     The Department of Community and Economic
18   Development of the Commonwealth.
19      "Fund."     The Waterfront Redevelopment Fund established under
20   section 5.
21      "Program."     The Waterfront Redevelopment Grant Program
22   established under section 4(a)(1).
23      "Waterfront redevelopment plan."       A plan that provides for
24   the improvement of a waterfront and meets the requirements under
25   section 4(c).
26   Section 4.     Waterfront Redevelopment Grant Program.
27      (a)     Establishment and purpose.--
28            (1)   The Waterfront Redevelopment Grant Program is
29      established and shall be administered by the department.
30            (2)   The purpose of the program is to issue grants to

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 1    protect and revitalize coastal waters and waterfronts across
 2    this Commonwealth.
 3    (b)   Application.--
 4          (1)   An applicant must submit a written grant application
 5    to the department in a form and manner prescribed by the
 6    department.
 7          (2)   An application under this section must include the
 8    following information:
 9                (i)    A detailed description of the project and how
10          the grant would be used, including any private sector
11          participation.
12                (ii)    A copy of the waterfront redevelopment plan
13          required under subsection (c) for the area in which the
14          project is to be located.
15                (iii)    An explanation of how the project will
16          contribute significantly to economic and community
17          redevelopment or the revitalization of adjacent
18          communities.
19                (iv)    An explanation of how the project will provide
20          for public access to the waterfront or will provide
21          recreational opportunities for the public, if applicable.
22                (v)    If the project includes the purchase of
23          property, an identification of the intended use of the
24          property and a timeline for redevelopment of the
25          property.
26                (vi)    The total cost of the project and the source of
27          the matching funds required under subsection (f)(2).
28                (vii)    A detailed description of the practices the
29          applicant will implement and maintain to control nonpoint
30          source pollution from the project site.

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 1                  (viii)    Other information that the department may
 2            require.
 3      (c)   Waterfront redevelopment plan.--An applicant shall
 4   prepare a waterfront redevelopment plan. The waterfront
 5   redevelopment plan, at a minimum, must:
 6            (1)   Clearly designate the geographic area included
 7      within the waterfront planning area.
 8            (2)   Identify the economic impact on the improved area,
 9      the surrounding neighborhood and the region in which the
10      waterfront planning area is located.
11            (3)   Provide any additional information as required by
12      the department for waterfront redevelopment plans.
13      (d)   Publication and notice.--The department shall transmit
14   notice of the program's availability to the Legislative
15   Reference Bureau for publication in the next available issue of
16   the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
17      (e)   Department action.--
18            (1)   The department shall review each application for a
19      grant under the program and, within 60 days of receipt of the
20      application, approve or disapprove the application. An
21      application that has not been approved or disapproved by the
22      department within the 60-day period shall be deemed approved.
23            (2)   In reviewing an application for a grant under the
24      program, the department shall consider all of the following:
25                  (i)    Whether the project proposed to be funded is
26            authorized under this act.
27                  (ii)    Whether the application complies with this act.
28                  (iii)    Consistency of the project with the waterfront
29            redevelopment plan required under subsection (c) for the
30            area in which the project is located.

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 1                (iv)    Additional public access to the waterfront or
 2          recreational opportunities for the public provided by the
 3          project.
 4                (v)    Significant contribution by the project to the
 5          region's economic and community redevelopment or the
 6          revitalization of adjacent communities.
 7                (vi)    Evidence of adverse economic and socioeconomic
 8          conditions within the waterfront planning area.
 9                (vii)    The viability of the waterfront redevelopment
10          plan required under subsection (c).
11                (viii)    The level of public and private commitment
12          and other resources available for the project.
13                (ix)    The level of demonstrated commitment from local
14          governments and other local political subdivisions.
15                (x)    The level of public and private commitment to
16          improving abandoned real property within the waterfront
17          planning area in which the project is located.
18                (xi)    The level of public input and public
19          notification regarding the proposed project.
20                (xii)    Documentation of the approval of or access to
21          the matching funds required under subsection (f)(2) and
22          the source of the matching funds.
23                (xiii)    Other criteria that the department considers
24          relevant.
25    (f)   Award of grants.--
26          (1)   The department may issue a grant award to approved
27    applicants for projects that contribute to the revitalization
28    of waterfronts throughout this Commonwealth that meet any of
29    the following purposes:
30                (i)    Provide for response activities on waterfront

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 1            property consistent with a waterfront redevelopment plan.
 2                  (ii)    Provide for the demolition of buildings and
 3            other facilities along a waterfront that are inconsistent
 4            with a waterfront redevelopment plan.
 5                  (iii)    Provide for the acquisition of waterfront
 6            property or the assembly of waterfront property
 7            consistent with a waterfront redevelopment plan.
 8                  (iv)    Provide public infrastructure and public
 9            facility improvements to waterfront property consistent
10            with a waterfront redevelopment plan.
11            (2)   For each grant under the program, the department
12      shall require that an approved applicant provide matching
13      funds of at least 25% of the project's total cost from other
14      public or private funding sources.
15            (3)   Grants may be awarded on a pro rata basis if the
16      total dollar amount of the approved application exceeds the
17      amount of money appropriated by the General Assembly for the
18      program.
19   Section 5.     Waterfront Redevelopment Fund.
20      (a)   Establishment.--The Waterfront Redevelopment Fund is
21   established in the State Treasury. All appropriations,
22   contributions and alternative funds received by the department
23   as authorized by State law to protect and revitalize coastal
24   waters and waterfronts across this Commonwealth shall be
25   deposited into the fund.
26      (b)   Allocation of money.--All money in the fund is
27   appropriated on a continuing basis to the department and shall
28   be used as follows:
29            (1)   At least 85% of the fund shall be used by the
30      department for grants authorized under this act.

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 1            (2)   Not more than 15% of the fund may be used by the
 2      department for State and local administration and program
 3      services.
 4      (c)   Alternative funding.--The department may solicit and
 5   accept alternative funding, including Federal funds, grants and
 6   donations from any source to assist with the goals of this act.
 7   All money received by the department under this act to protect
 8   and revitalize coastal waters and waterfronts across this
 9   Commonwealth shall be deposited into the fund.
10   Section 6.     Public outreach.
11      (a)   Requirement.--From the money available for
12   administration as authorized under section 5(b)(2), the
13   department shall conduct Statewide outreach to inform the public
14   of the grant program and the grant's purpose to protect and
15   revitalize coastal waters and waterfronts across this
16   Commonwealth.
17      (b)   Evaluation.--The department shall evaluate the
18   effectiveness of the money provided under this act in protecting
19   and revitalizing coastal waters and waterfronts across this
20   Commonwealth and make changes as necessary to the outreach
21   described under subsection (a).
22   Section 7.     Reports.
23      Not later than one year after the effective date of this
24   section, and annually thereafter, the department shall submit a
25   report to the General Assembly on expenditures from the fund and
26   the progress of the public outreach required under section 6.
27   Section 8.     Rules and regulations.
28      The department shall adopt or promulgate rules or regulations
29   necessary to implement and administer the provisions of this
30   act.

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1   Section 9.   Effective date.
2      This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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