MARYLAND - Gov. Wes Moore announced that Maryland will provide $20 million in funding during Fiscal Year 2027 for public boating projects across the state, including several on the Eastern Shore.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will distribute $13 million through the Waterway Improvement Fund and an additional $7 million in General Obligation Bond funding for 24 projects that support public boating access, navigable waterways, boating safety and related infrastructure.
“Boating is an integral aspect of Maryland’s cultural identity that supports our seafood and tourism economies," said Gov. Moore. “These major investments provide resources to strengthen our boating infrastructure, expand recreational access, and ensure the longevity of our waterways for Marylanders to enjoy the Chesapeake Bay for generations to come.”
Maryland Secretary of Natural Resources Josh Kurtz said the Waterway Improvement Fund has played a key role in improving boating access and safety across the state. According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, boating generates more than $4 billion in economic activity each year and supports about 17,000 jobs statewide.
The Waterway Improvement Fund is primarily supported by a one-time 5 percent excise tax paid when a boat is purchased and titled in Maryland, along with a portion of the state gas tax, said Moore's office. Since the program began in 1966, more than $469.5 million has been awarded for state and local projects, resulting in more than 4,900 capital improvements at nearly 400 public boating access sites and within 250 navigable channels, said the department.
One of the largest projects receiving funding this year is the continued renovation of Somers Cove Marina in Crisfield. The state-owned marina will receive $7 million in General Obligation Bond funding and $1.727 million from the Waterway Improvement Fund for bulkhead replacement and other facility improvements as part of a $30 million renovation project scheduled to begin in late summer.
Applications for the next round of Waterway Improvement Fund grants opened July 15 through an online application process. Eastern Shore projects funded in Fiscal Year 2027 include:
- Dorchester County: Cambridge yacht basin improvements ($1 million), Tylers Cove Marina renovations ($500,000), and Town of Vienna boating facility renovations ($100,000).
- Queen Anne’s County: Queenstown Creek channel dredging ($925,000), Matapeake Landing boat ramp improvements ($250,000), and safety and rescue boats for the Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department and United Communities Volunteer Fire Department ($80,000 each).
- Somerset County: Somers Cove Marina improvements in Crisfield ($7 million in General Obligation Bonds and $1.727 million in Waterway Improvement Fund money).
- Worcester County: Public Landing dredging in Snow Hill ($325,000).
Additional statewide projects include emergency and maintenance dredging, shoreline erosion control projects related to boating, the Clean Vessel Act Pumpout Grant Program and a safety and rescue boat for the Maryland Natural Resources Police.
