Comer Reintroduces the MARINA Act to Protect Kentucky’s Marina Owners

WASHINGTON - Congressman James Comer (R-Ky.) today reintroduced the Maintaining Access to Recreational Industry and Necessary Adjustments (MARINA) Act, legislation designed to provide greater transparency, predictability, and stability in fee structures for Kentucky's marina owners. According to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study, tourism-dependent communities in Kentucky's 1st Congressional District have seen the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) levy inconsistent, unexpected, and exorbitant fees on small business owners, particularly local marina operators.

"I am proud to reintroduce the MARINA Act. Kentucky's 1st Congressional District is home to the largest number of marinas in the state, and these businesses are vital to our local economies. A GAO study shows Kentucky marina operators are facing inconsistent and exorbitant fees imposed by the Army Corps of Engineers without sufficient transparency or justification. I've used my role as Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to hold the Corps accountable. Now it's time to pass a legislative solution to protect our marinas and ensure fees imposed on Kentucky's small businesses are calculated fairly, consistently, and transparently," said Congressman Comer.

Background:

The MARINA Act recognizes the role locally owned marinas have in fulfilling the Corps' congressionally mandated mission of enhancing recreational opportunities by creating a standardized framework for calculating administrative fees and capping the amount of sales on items with a low profit margin that can be used to determine a marina operator's annual rent to the Corps. The legislation establishes that sales of food, beverages, fuel, boats, motors, and boat lifts must be capped at one percent for calculating rental payments and ensures marina owners maintain control over their payroll. In addition, the bill defines when administrative fees may be charged, ensures they are for non-routine Corps District functions, and extends initial lease terms to 50 years and renewals to 25 years.

In February 2021, Congressman Comer highlighted the Corps' lack of transparency and requested documents from the Corps regarding their process for calculating administrative fees across all Corps Districts to determine whether marina businesses were fully informed and not unfairly charged.

In May 2022, Congressman Comer emphasized that questions remain about the Corps' fee policies by requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a study examining these administrative fee practices to ensure all fees are being calculated fairly.

In March 2024, Congressman Comer held an Oversight Committee field hearing in Jamestown, Kentucky to examine concerns over information obtained by the Committee detailing the Corps levying inconsistent, confusing, unexpected, and exorbitant fees against marina business owners.

Permalink: https://comer.house.gov/2026/1/comer-reintroduces-the-marina-act-to-protect-kentucky-s-marina-owners