Bill Overview
Title: MARINA Act
Description: This bill addresses rental amounts, administrative fees, and lease terms with respect to certain marinas. The bill establishes that sales of food, beverages, fuel, boats, boat motors, and boat lifts must be capped at 1% for calculating the amount of rent charged to the operator of a marina for a lease. It directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to establish a standardized fee schedule for administrative fees assessed to operators of marinas that specifies under what circumstances and at what time such a fee is to be assessed. Additionally, the bill specifies that lease terms for a marina shall be at least 50 years for an initial lease or first renewal of a lease and at least 25 years for any subsequent renewal.
Sponsors: Rep. Comer, James [R-KY-1]
Target Audience
Population: People involved in or reliant on marinas for recreational boating
Estimated Size: 3000000
- The bill specifically impacts marinas, which are facilities that store and service private recreational boats, which means it primarily impacts the recreational boating industry.
- It affects marine operators financially through rental, fee schedules, and lease terms, influencing their long-term planning and financial commitments.
- Recreational boat owners could be indirectly affected as changes in marina costs may influence service prices or availability.
- Marina employees might feel impacts if changes to rental or fee structures lead to operational modifications.
- Suppliers of marina-related goods (food, beverages, fuel, boats, motors, lifts) will see impacts as cost structures, like rent calculations, change.
Reasoning
- Most Americans will not feel the effects of the MARINA Act as their lives do not intersect with marina operations.
- The policy primarily impacts those directly involved with marina operation and maintenance, as well as recreational boaters.
- While the policy might lead to some minor cost saving for marina operators, its long-term impacts could offer stability in lease terms, which may encourage sustained or increased investment in marina infrastructure.
- There will be indirect effects on broader communities who rely economically on marinas, but these tend to be localized in specific regions with high boating activity.
- The policy's budget and scale suggest that its actions are focused, and so broader economic impacts are anticipated to be low but positive for those closely tied to the marina industry.
Simulated Interviews
Marina operator (Miami, FL)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think standardizing lease terms to 50 years is a game changer. It allows us to plan better for the long term.
- Capping sales for rent calculations will help us optimize our revenue streams without fear of skyrocketing rents.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Boat owner (Houston, TX)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If marina operators save money, maybe it can trickle down to us boat owners in terms of lower fees.
- I don't expect much impact on the day-to-day costs, but it might help maintain facilities better.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Marina employee (Seattle, WA)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hoping it stabilizes my job since marinas will have more predictable costs.
- Unsure how this will affect employee wages or hiring.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Fuel supplier (Traverse City, MI)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Capping sales means marinas might better manage their budgets, maintaining or increasing fuel purchases.
- I foresee stable business as marinas are more financially secure.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Recreational fisherman (Cape Cod, MA)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm not sure if it'll affect me directly, maybe more stable costs at the marina.
- Hope the marina remains in good shape, supporting the local economy and my pastime.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Tourism board representative (Jersey Shore, NJ)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Stable marina operations could boost tourism indirectly by ensuring facilities remain attractive.
- Not directly involved but see potential widespread benefits for our economy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Boat manufacturing executive (Erie, PA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our sales depend on stable demand at marinas, so any policy bolstering them indirectly supports us.
- Longer lease terms could fuel expansions or upgrades, possibly increasing demand for our boats.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
College student (Austin, TX)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Interesting to know about but I can't say it will directly affect us.
- Family time on the water is what matters most; I don't foresee immediate change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Local politician (Nashville, TN)
Age: 33 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The bill might bring more funding and stability to local marinas, which resonate positively with my constituents.
- I'm hopeful it attracts investment but will watch closely for any unintended side effects.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Retired (Charleston, SC)
Age: 70 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I enjoy seeing the boats and people, knowing the marinas are stable adds to my community's charm.
- It's more a personal interest rather than something that will affect my day-to-day life.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $12000000)
Year 2: $9000000 (Low: $7000000, High: $11000000)
Year 3: $9000000 (Low: $7000000, High: $11000000)
Year 5: $8000000 (Low: $6000000, High: $10000000)
Year 10: $7000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $9000000)
Year 100: $4000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $5000000)
Key Considerations
- The Army Corps of Engineers will need to ensure transparency and consistency in setting fees to gain trust from the sector.
- Potential initial costs in implementing technology and systems for managing new administrative schedules and standardizations.
- Local economies dependent on marina-related activities might initially resist changes, requiring effective communication strategies.